Run with Deer and hunt with Tiger
by Vahditar
Summary: As the stalking tiger did not leave nor attack, the injured deer couldn't decide which one was more dangerous: the tiger, or what lurked outside the nest? Part 2 of Tiger and Deer.
1. Run prey run

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

She sits in a corner of a closet-sized room, trapped in a straitjacket.

As she had tried to bit her wrists open before, they were now tightly tied against her chest.  
She chews on a leathery gag, that keeps her from biting into her sour tongue again.  
Nothing else to do, sitting against upholstered wall, she stares at the room's closed door. It's locked and there is no handle. She could start kicking the door but nothing would happen, no-one would answer.  
The door only opens from four to five times per day.  
Check ups at morning and evening, two meals per day.  
And then maybe experiments on her.  
It's now maybe five days from the last testing, if she estimates right. They will probably soon try something new on her.

...She is bored.  
She starts hitting the back of her head against wall's padding, feeling dull pain with every hit.  
She's so so bored... And a bit numb from sitting with crossed legs for too long.

Leaning forward she falls down face first.  
There's a deep, vibrating chuckle.  
"Shut up", Anna mumbles through the gag.  
 _"Didn't say anything"_ , the feral man says while crouching next to her. _"Just admired your gracefulness. That's what deers are known of, right?"  
_ "And kicking."

Squirming in the suit she rolls onto her back and immediately regrets it: the ceiling light is blinding. So she turns onto her side instead.  
Ears perk as surveillance camera in the room moves and focuses to her changed position.  
Ignoring it, Anna looks up at Victor. He's crouching with arms resting on his knees and looking down at her.

He has... Become a bit blurry nowadays.  
Some features of his face are a bit off. The clothes don't seem right on him.  
Doesn't actually matter. She could imagine him in a tutu if she wanted to. That could be fun to imagine.  
Victor snarls, slumping down to sit.  
 _"Don't you dare."_  
 _"Oh? And what will you do about it?"_ Anna thinks this time. It doesn't seem so odd anymore to have conversations inside her head. After all, she's not talking with herself but with another person.  
 _"I'll leave."_  
Now that's impossible, she knows that. He's in her mind, he can't leave. If he tries, she'll just imagine him right back. Still, the threat holds her from remarking the fact.

Instead she closes her eyes and soon there's a palm, ever so lightly, petting her head. She almost can't feel it.  
But if she tries harder, she can feel the long claws with every stroke.

...How long has it been?  
Weeks, maybe a month or more?  
There's no clear signs of days passing. She can only judge from when the door opens and when she's taken into check ups or tests.  
And even that is not a reliable way. Sometimes during the tests she loses her consciousness, and after waking can't know how much times has passed. And surely her biological clock is wrong by now, but in desperation Anna will take anything to bring stability and rhythm into this strange, unchanging environment of hers. Otherwise she'll get crazy.  
Though maybe she already is...

Anna isn't sure but Logan may also be here. She remembers him hazily before she woke up in a room, tied down, with strangers dressed in lab coats. She maybe heard Logan yell in a distance at some point.  
Or maybe she just imagines that Logan is in this place. Part of her hopes he is there.  
The possibility of him also being here was at the same time worrying and comforting.

Victor is scowling with arms over his chest.  
 _"Jealous?"_  
 _"...Maybe."_

Now that's an answer Anna didn't expect and it makes her worry. After all, this Victor is just the creation of her own imagination. He says what she wants to hear, what she would think the _real_ Victor would say. She's getting crazier. She has to get out of here.

 _"But how? You pretty much have been loosing your cards, every time. They're cautious of you."_  
Need a window, figuratively, even just a small one.  
 _"How about that pervert? He seems to like you."_  
Maybe not anymore after busting his balls. A stain of blood had formed on his trousers as the man was stunned on the floor.  
 _"Yeah, males don't take kindly after that. Can hold it against you to the grave."_  
 _"Then maybe I should had kicked **your** nuts at the beginning..."_

 _"You blaming me for this?"_  
 _"Yes."_  
 _"...How is this my doing?"_  
 _"You came into my territory, and everything got messed up."_  
 _"...Not true."_  
 _"I had everything right before_ _ **you**_ _came."_  
 _"Bullshit. You were happy to_ _ **finally**_ _have some real company. Real talk and genuine interactions. **You** went against Joseph's word. I didn't make you pull the trigger!"_  
 _"If you hadn't brought me to the hospital, I wouldn't be **here**!"_

Through the gag Anna screams and writhes around.  
This is the puss' fault, everything! If he hadn't come, if he hadn't stayed, or left, Anna would had never- If he hadn't brought her into _that hospital,_ these people wouldn't have known about her!  
He _promised_ to her at that veterinarian clinic!

And now she was in this horrible room with no possibility to escape, with nothing! This place is oppressive. She wants out. She wants her freedom back, in any way by anyone!  
In any way. By anyone.

Anna screams more.  
Then the door opens and she goes silent.  
Two guards enter the room and she is so happy by seeing real people.  
She however doesn't want to be cooperative, not moving at all. So the guards just grab from the leather handles of Anna's suit and drag her out.  
Anna almost giggles from giddiness.

The hallways are almost as bare as the room, but the walls and floor are cold, hard concrete. Sometimes there's colored lines on the walls, and text. The lights flicker over her. Now and then there's someone walking past them. A person on a lab coat or having the same kind of gear as the guards taking her.  
Anna has not seen anyone like her in this place. Was it just her? And maybe Logan?  
Feeling all these stimulations buzzes Anna's nerves.  
But she tries to focus: remember the road, see and think what's behind the closed doors and on the hallways they don't take. Peek at what codes guards feed into keypads.  
And then they are there, at their destination.  
Room 119.

It's either check up time now, or testing. Anna wishes it will be the first one. She knows what happens at them but at the tests? She never knows what the tests will held.

Soon she's tied up by belts. Her arms are against metallic armrests and legs against chair's. She looks at the man, Fred.  
The pervert.  
He usually lets his touches linger more than is necessary when he fastens the belts. He makes faces when his supervisor or the guards don't pay attention.  
But now he doesn't do anything creepy. He's fast and does only the mandatory, glaring whenever their eyes meet briefly.  
Guess he's still mad about that kick.

A woman sitting back towards them is typing a keyboard.  
Dr. Mishark reads on the badge, which always hangs from her white coat. She has red, short hair and she always looks tired, speaking with this lengthening, even voice. She doesn't talk to Anna though. Anna has already made clear that she doesn't want to describe the symptoms she suffers when they use something on her.  
However, this time Dr. Mishark talks to her, and there's spirit behind the woman's actions.

"Your test results from the last test were promising, 1977", the woman says while standing up and walking to the tied up mutant. The doctor keeps talking. Anna understand some of what is said. She has studied human anatomy and organs, but then doctor goes into DNA, cells and molecules and Anna is lost.  
And though knowing probably won't help her situation at the moment, Anna still wants to understand what is being done to her.  
Not knowing something like that was unnerving, scary and haunting, making her trapped legs fidgety. A fire inside sparking, ready to bite and scorch the possible threat.  
But this time she can't just get up and push back.  
She is trapped in this place with all these strangers, she being their doll for needles and liquids.

Again she has ended into this familiar role of helplessness, first with father, then the mutant, then Victor and now this. With father it continued for years, with the mutant couple of minutes, with Victor months and now... How long with these ones?  
These people didn't want to fix her, intentionally hurt her nor offered her something in return. They didn't tell her what they were doing to her, what they wanted and when this would stop. She had no means to effect the actions towards her.

To them, in here, she isn't more than a test animal.

The feral woman on the chair jumped, started to pull her bindings and the doctor quieted down. Nobody stopped raging and screaming Anna, nor spoke anything or even moved. They just waited for the subject to calm down at her chair, like waiting for a child to stop their temper tantrum.  
And fast Anna did broke down, huffing and choking with tears as her body started slacking into submission.  
The fact, that she couldn't do anything, sunk deeper.

She shouldn't give in. Right? She can't. It is not an option, never is.  
She needs to stay... Alive? Yes. No matter what.

 _"Just to spite others, right?"_  
Victor is back, standing right behind Dr. Mishark, towering over the doctor.  
 _"Bcause, there's really no reason to struggle so much like you do. Really. Always climbing the uphill, through fire and water, biting and kicking."_  
 _"Quiet..."_ ** _  
_**The beastman continues, going behind Anna. He whispers into her ear with grinning lips.  
 _"Because what else is there? Sarah is dead, and so is Joseph, and little Gary too. You definitely can't return to the village. Unless you wanna be like your daddy, a bit of crazy hermit playing the local monster role in the woods. And look how it ended up to him."_ _  
"Shut. Up"_ , Anna commands him. _  
_But he doesn't. The illusion doesn't stop nor vanish. Even if Anna tries. And she tries, but closing eyes won't shut out the mocking voice. _  
"So what else is there to be done? If you escape, what will you do?_ _What do you want, Anna?"  
_ The question is whispered harshly, with raising voice.  
 _  
"After all the years, what is left? What do you have? You have **nothing** , dumb bitch. After everything, you still have nothing, just like when you killed father. You just start all over again, somewhere? New people and territory, new home? How? What do you know about having **a** **home**? Or making **human connections**? How fucking sad is that. You are a circle, not a straight line with start and end, just a shitty circle."_

Victor goes back behind Dr. Mishark, speaking with more sober tone.  
 _"And it's sometimes just exhausting to look at. Isn't it? So sad. E_ _ndeavoring it all, repeatedly. Alone. Like here in this place. Feeling all the time this little girl's fear and_ _insecurity_ _without a moment of feeling safe, not matter how you try to look tough. You haven't grown at all from those days. Still just a sad weak cub."_

 _"Shut it, just shut up! I'm surviving! That is what I do. That's what I... Want."_  
 _"Hmm..."_

Anna's gaze follows as the feral man walks around the room.  
Victor goes to the small mobile table. There are bottles and syringes and needles and tubes.

 _"What do you think? Is it gonna be hot or cold this time?"_ Victor questions as he looks at the bottles. _"Stinging or buzzing? Your right arm's inner elbow looked pretty used last time. Like junkie's. What if a needle breaks inside you? Gets stuck in, a freakishly long thin needle?"_  
 _"Stop."_  
 _"Oh, need me to hold your hand? Little bambi? Cub? Sweetheart? Can't handle a needle?_ _"_

"Stop, just please, stop", this time Anna whispers out loud her thoughts.  
The feral man finally goes quiet. He walks next to her. The hand with claws places on top of Anna's but she can't feel it. Not the weight nor the warmth.

A real person in front of her, Dr. Mishark, gets enough and tells Freddy to start injecting.

Anna blinks and tries to relax, control the shaking of her body.  
She glances at the hand still laying on top of hers. It flickers, vanishes for a split second.  
She doesn't want it, him, to disappear. **  
**She doesn't want to be alone here, these strangers around her.  
She needs... Someone there, right now, with her. Someone to...  
What would Victor do, if he was in this situation? It was kinda hard to imagine someone like him as a captive. He was like a deathless, jumping, clawing and biting tank that just rolls over you with pure strength. **  
**A memory of Victor's silly face, when he realized he had been roofied, made nervous Anna to giggle. Silly cat. With his stories and jokes. He's an asshole, but not without his quirks.  
 **  
**Anna sees Fred approaching with loaded syringe.  
 **  
**...The continuing isolation from everyone and everything is horrible. Anna always believed herself to be a loner, but now... She had plenty of time to think in the hospital and in here. And she really misses everything and everyone. Her own apartment, her forest, her home village, her family. Awkward Gary as he looks at Sarah, and how Sarah would tend over them like a hen mother. Anna missed even Joseph, the quilt of killing him as heavy as the other deaths too. He didn't have to take her in after father died...

Anna's left inner elbow is wiped with antiseptic.

It was late but Anna hoped, that things would be different. That she hadn't tried to kill the driver so hastily or that Sarah wouldn't had been crossing the street that time. Or that Victor had come back sooner, or hadn't left at all. Or that father-

Closing her eyes, Anna feels how the liquid is injected into her. She also feels how fat tears run down her face, making her hands turn into fists.

No.  
She was not gonna break. She isn't like mother in the basement. And she was not going to think, what it was like to mother, be alone in the dark, with father tormenting and forcing her... Or why he did it...  
Remembering things helps, remembering **good** things.  
Those make Anna feel nice things.  
But thinking Gary, Sarah or Joseph is still way too painful. So maybe she could think Logan?  
But, it was... More effective, to remember Victor. It made her feel many strong things, from giddiness to annoyance. It makes her feel... Better.  
 _"Knew it."_  
Smug. He's really smug, though he maybe has somewhat reason to be.  
He has that stupid, smug smirk that shows the tips of his canine teeth. It makes his eyes smile too, with this excited and mischievous glint. He's so much like a cat from that children's story about a girl in a zany dreamworld.  
 _"And he has a purring voice"_ , whisper reminds her.  
And Victor has claws, that can cut skin like hot knife through butter, strong and deadly. Predator's gaze. Warm and inextinguishable fire in his eyes.  
He is warm and big. She rarely met people who were as tall as she or even taller. It had first been odd looking at Victor without need to look down. And annoying. But also exciting.

And Victor came for her, when she was wounded and alone... Would she be how weak, stupid, if she hopes that Victor would do that again? Save her now? How pitiful would she be? Would he mock and look down at her, if she could not break from this by herself?  
Would Victor also say that she was a mistake?

The injected liquid starts working.  
It feels warm and stings, spreads. Heart starts painfully ramming against her rib cage, making some monitor in the room peeping.  
Victor's hand starts to flicker again, vanishing and she panics. Trying to find something to keep herself focused. Find that little fire that always has given her that needed edge to stay on the surface.

Anger.

 _"I really hated you",_ she thought.  
Reaching for that sparking anger inside her, so familiar.  
 _"So **much.** You were this super predator, who wouldn't die and just kept mocking me, stalking and invading my territory, which I had so hard protected since I was a kid. It was like everyone else had been such a small fly compared to you and I really wasn't that strong as I thought. I really wanted to end you for that."_

It had been scary.  
She had thought, that years of fighting and killing other mutants had made her considerably strong. More than when she was a child. She had felt like... Like how she had seen her father: capable and in control, knowing his place in the world.  
She wanted to be like that, believed she was, even though deep down she knew she still was just a weak mutant with instincts to run from greater threat.  
Then comes someone who's a real predator in every way, and she couldn't kill him. It had been unnerving. And exciting. Someone really challenging, in every way. Someone who shared her enjoyment of hunting.  
 _"And then... You started acting differently."_  
Was it that they had sex? Or when they had that drinking game, an actual conversation? What changed, that suddenly he acted more intimately and less viciously?  
Claws that didn't try to rip into her anymore, but instead scratched. Teeth holding instead of tearing, eyes looking at her like she was...  
 _"What, cub?"_

Anna opens her gaze, staring, ignoring everyone else in the room. The monitor starts making more noises but she doesn't focus on those irritating sounds.

Father is looking at her.

He's scowling with heavy brows, dark eyes looking her over and father is the only thing Anna can see at that moment.  
He's large, a bear, more of an animal than a human. A beast. His face is barely a human. Once, father's face had not been scary at all.  
But now Anna feels like crumbling under the judging gaze, piece by piece and father doesn't even do anything else than just stares. It is enough for her.  
Because it can quickly turn from scary to terrifying when he got upset. A warning growl turning swiftly into painful punishment. With him, just a small mistake, too late reacting, was horrifying if she weren't careful enough.

Anna starts crying more, hyperventilating.  
She's that little girl again. Who can't do anything but take it. Listen and believe her father.  
Because father knows everything, he's right, he's older and he's so much stronger than her.

 _"The hospital was never a safe place"_ , father rumbles. _"Too many strangers, too many open places, too many unknown areas. Anyone could come in and out, even into your room. And you were weak. Hurt. An easy prey in a trap, no weapons. And yet, he left you there with strangers. Easily to be taken. He really didn't care if someone took you."_

The world is turning into uncertainty, waving. She feels nausea. Her insides are flipping around like in a washing machine.

 _"You should had taken the control. Secured the room, or get out and stopped lazing around. And fucking him. You just let him use you like I used your mother. A prey just for breeding and eating. A dumb slut."_

Mother. The meat in the fridge. Mother wasn't in that cellar anymore. He forced Anna to eat that meat, chew the half raw steak. Father couldn't be that cruel. He couldn't.

Warm, thick paste is raising inside Anna's throat, it burns. Makes her gag.  
 _"Did you just forget everything I taught of how_ _ **not**_ _to be a prey, as he pinned you in your own bed? As you offered yourself to him?"  
_ Anna pukes. The stuff is bitter, warm, white and part of it gets stuck inside her mouth because of the gag. It slides back into her throat, suffocating her.  
People react around.

She feels dizzy for a minute, and then feels like electrocuted. It fills her with uncontrollable energy that waves over her. Everything's suddenly bright and vivid. Father, nor Victor, is no more in the room. But she can still hear father's voice.

 _"In the end, the prey submits to the predator. Like always. But it's never the other way around._ _A predator is free from fear and_ _submission._ _It always fights and dominates._ _"_

"Get her on the bed and take that gag out, now!"  
She's released, the gag removed, and two pairs of hands starts carrying her by limbs. She coughs out the suffocating fluid inside her mouth. Her throat burns, making it unpleasant to breath.  
"Help me with this!" someone yells.

 _"So which one are you, cub? A little running prey? Or a chasing predator?"_

Shaking, staring at Fred, Anna acts.  
She pulls her held arms, shoots upwards and bites onto Fred's throat. Sinks her teeth until they slam together. At the same time her legs starts kicking wildly. She's uncontrollable, determined like a fallen deer fighting back.

Fred lets go and stumbles backwards down to the floor, juddering as blood pours out from the open hole in his throat.  
Spitting out piece of flesh Anna takes on the next, closest living person in the room.  
The only guard in the room.

She lunges, gets hit away by fist. She turns back and again rushes towards. The guard gets pistol out and shoots.  
She doesn't feel the bullets. They hardly slow her down. She makes her way to the guard and dodges to aside as they try to hit her again.  
She grabs the straightened arm and using it flips the guard onto the floor. Grabbing their hair she bashes their head against the hard floor many quick times.

Dr. Mishark is screaming.  
Grabbing the guard's pistol Anna shoots the doctor. Then the guard, and just to be safe, also Fred.  
Still shaking Anna spits the mixed taste of vomit and blood. She wobbles. Shaking her head, slapping herself, she focuses.  
She's alone in the room.  
Free to move.  
She has to act quickly.

The window is open now, and she needs to jump through.

* * *

Logan goes between unconsciousness and being aware of things.  
He slumps against the chair which he is securely strapped onto. There's this machine next to him. It beeps now and then, sucking his blood through tubes. He feels powerless, out of any strength in mind and body.  
He can't even lift his head.  
It has been like this almost from the start, ever since he and Anna got captured.  
The people here have been keeping him out of it, strapped down and when he's somewhat awake, he's on this cursed chair and bumped out of blood by that goddamn machine that makes those annoying noises.  
How long of this? Days?  
Can't remember.  
It's like a repeating nightmare. He doesn't get any break to focus onto the situation and what to do.

He just wants to sleep.

"Logan?"  
The sounds of the machine are gone. Time to lie back down?  
"Logan!"  
A sharp slap across his face.

Blinking and slowly focusing he sees someone standing in front of him. A guard, cursing while holding their raised hand.  
"Metal bonehead... Oi, Logan!"  
They know his name? He didn't give that, he didn't have anything on him that would-  
Another hit and the person grabs him by his shoulders, bringing their face to his eye-level. He looks at familiar gaze.  
"Logan wake up now or I'll leave your ass here."  
"...Anna?"  
"Yeah", she starts removing tubes and wires from him, not gently, but he's just happy to get free. Happy to see Anna alive and free.  
She has the guard gear on and blood all over her though.  
"Wha- What hap...end?"  
"Questions later. Now, how well can you move?"  
Logan takes support from the chair and he shakily gets up. The room seems too bright as he's a bit more awake now.  
"Sit down for a minute, I'll give you something. This may first make you bit dizzy and nausea."  
"Wait, wha-?"  
Logan grunts from a stink and without support, he drops back into the chair. He start shaking. Feeling this odd wave of warmth and burning washing through him, suddenly bringing everything inside him to a peak. He's suddenly so aware of everything that it's overwhelming.

It makes his mind turn.  
"Now get up and lets get out of here."

Looking up at the female the feral male grunts, gets up and marches to the door. Slamming it open he looks at either direction, sniffs the air and listens. So many people running and shouting in the distances. Smoke is stinging in the air, not yet visible.  
Anna pushes past him. He glares down as the female leaves the cover of him being in front of her.  
"Let's follow the green line", she points.  
Stepping again in lead, he pulls out his adamantium claws and starts running ahead, female following behind.

Need to keep the female safe, need to get out.

Following the green line they encounter couple of guards.  
Without a moment of hesitation Wolverine charges and slices easily through them. He glances at the female feral who stops from raising a gun. She looks impressed. He smirks and she stares at him for a moment.  
"...Let's go."

Running again they follow the line. They try to avoid most people who are also going the same way.  
Suddenly Logan is grabbed by the back of his t-shirt and he whirls around, snarling. The female lets go, scowling at him.  
"If we keep running that direction, we will get spotted by a lot of people. You need a cover."  
Wolverine tilts his head.  
Someone's coming behind them, he gets in front of her.  
A white jacket person, who-  
Anna shoots.  
Startled, Logan grabs Anna's gun holding hand.  
"What? You need a disguise."

They are in a hall where there's a large crowd of people.  
The air smells of nervousness. The people are trying to get to be first at the exit, where there's a lot of guards with guns. The guards are checking IDs before letting people out through glass doors.  
A white coat wearing Logan tries to keep himself in check, but it's hard. His instincts are restless.  
He **needs** to get them both out, and he just feels like ramming through these people and dragging the female out. She however sternly said to keep his head down and though part of him doesn't want to listen, he knows deep down that the female is right.  
They should not panic and hesitate now.

Still, Logan keeps glancing from their surroundings and back to the woman in front of him. He smells blood, her blood, on her.  
She's wounded, she limps slightly.  
She smells of tension that gets stronger the closer they get to the doors.  
Standing right behind the female, Wolverine tries to calm her. He raises his hand and takes a hold of hers.  
She tenses more, glances down and then stares forward.  
After a moment, she briefly squeeze his fingers and Logan lets out a soft sound.  
She lets go.

At the doors a guard asks for their IDs.  
Logan watches as Anna gives hers first. The guard glances between the damaged badge and her face.  
"Haven't seen you before."  
"New here. First day."  
"Heh, seems like you got into a scuffle? Go to the red van to check at your wounds, then report to your supervisor. Also you need to ask for a new badge after this."  
She nods.  
The guard however keeps staring, holding Anna's badge...  
Logan starts to get ready.  
Then the guard gives the badge back and Anna walks through the glass doors. She's outside.  
"Next!"

It's Logan's turn and he gives his bloodied badge. It's suppose to be just as damaged as Anna's.  
The guard looks at the badge and Logan, stares at him. Logan glares back, swallowing down the deep warning sound that wants to be heard as his lips tug into a snarl.

Logan sees it when the guard knows.  
The badge drops and Logan pulls out his claws and thrusts one set through the guys jaw and head.

Everything goes into chaos after that.

The guards start shooting and attacking, the people start running away. Anna yells from outside, shooting.  
Logan smashes through the glass door and the two of them start running, she in front and he behind.

The large prison of theirs is in middle of nowhere, a forest. There's melting snow, sun shining on bare sky and some wildlife running away just like the two of them. Shots are fired and people running after them as they disappear into the wilderness.  
In there, Logan notices he's falling behind as the female is running faster than him.  
Jumping after her over a fallen tree he tries to speed up.

But the female is running just too fast. She's getting too far away from him and he can't protect her like this.  
He roars.  
She halts and turns to look at him. Their eyes meet.

Her eyes suddenly widen as she stares at him running towards her, with his claws out. She almost looks like a prey to him, staring and frozen like that.  
Wolverine suddenly feels this suspense of hunting. He wants to have her, _the prey_.  
She starts running again, away from _him_.

Springing, the feral just in time gets a hold of the female. He pulls his claws in, and the two of them stumble onto the ground.  
She's panicking, kicking and hitting him, the gun dropped to the ground.  
Wolverine gets a hold of himself, before he attacks her.

 _Not_ a prey. A person, a friend.  
Anna.  
Not a prey.

"Shit", he gets up but keeps a tight hold on the struggling woman who tries to get away from him. He needs to stay in control, they're still chased.  
"Anna, calm down."  
She's reeking of fear, trying to get off from his grip in a desperate manner. The kicks hurt and he can only hold against them because of his adamantium skeleton.  
He keeps gripping onto her arm.  
"Anna!"  
She's panicking. And she won't calm down easily, Logan has seen her like this before.  
But they do not have the time now.

So he hits her hard and she stumbles down, unconscious.  
Then Wolverine picks her up and starts running.


	2. Runaways

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

With the woman in his arms Wolverine ran as long as possible, keeping an eye for anyone pursuing them. At some point it started to seem, that those people had stopped from chasing.  
Then Logan suddenly stumbled. Cold sweat breaking, muscles losing strength and then next he fell.  
He collapsed onto his knees and almost dropped Anna. He suddenly was out of breath, putting his trembling strength onto its limits.

He tried to shake the sudden exhaustion away but it didn't go away. What ever Anna had injected him with, seemed to start wearing off now.  
Tightening his grip and keeping Anna close Logan forced himself back onto his feet. Taking shaky steps, looking around, like a wounded animal looks for a hiding spot.  
He fortunately found what he was looking for: a hole under a fallen tree.  
The feral man pulled himself and the woman inside the hole.

The forest, still recovering after winter, is wet and cold and the two mutants don't have the appropriate outdoor clothes. At least Anna has full heavy guard gear when Logan only has the thin lab coat over pants and t-shirt.  
The feral man can't do anything more though, not now, as he feels overly exhausted.  
Before completely going dark, he holds Anna tightly.

...When Logan wakes up next, he's cold and shivering. And his arms are empty.  
Remembering something being held by him he groggily feels around the dirt.

"You okay?" Anna's voice sounds from outside, her face peeking into the den.  
Calming somewhat Logan grunts while rubbing his face. And takes a minute or more before asking: "What was that stuff you gave me?"  
"Don't know."  
"What?"  
"Sorry", she pulls away and disappears outside. "Needed you to move and that stuff was all I had. It gave me enough strength to escape, so thought it would do the same to you... How you feeling?"  
"Okay."  
"Tired?"  
"...Yeah."  
"Same. But I think we need to move soon. Can't say how long we were out. Plus, the sun will soon disappear."  
The feral man crawls out and sits next to Anna. The two of them stare to the distance. They are cold, shivering occasionally and have no idea where they are.

"You know why I lost consciousness suddenly?"  
Glancing at Anna, seeing a colorful bruise on the side of her face, Logan's gaze wanders away.  
"You lost it when we were running."  
"...One of those fits?"  
"Yeah. Had to knock you down. Sorry about that."  
She gets up, a bit hesitantly he notices, and keeps her back to him.  
"It's okay."

Before he can say something, she's already speaking again.  
"The north is at that way. Can't say which way is to the lab, can you?"  
Sniffing the air he points out. Anna nods and continues.  
"Okay, we move to that way then. I got two- One handgun, couple of clips, a wallet with money, flashlight and a knife. Think you can move?"  
Huffing Logan gets up, fighting through dizziness and stands straight next to Anna. He glances up to her, seeing that she's a bit pale and tired looking.

They start walking, side by side. Trying to keep attention on their surroundings and keep moving despite of hunger, tiredness and cold.

When it starts to get too dark to move, they stop and make a small campfire. Using his claws Logan ignites the material that Anna gathers for their campfire.  
Huddling near the fire the two keep close to each other, taking off some clothes to dry them and to warm each other up.

They settle down in familiar, comforting position.  
He sits back against tree trunk, she is between his legs against him.  
They watch the smoking fire, most of their wet clothes hanging from a tree branch above it, they wearing just pants and t-shirts.  
After a moment, Logan starts moving his hands against Anna in stroking matter. First her bare arms, feeling every deep and shallow scar on the woman's skin with his smooth hands. She fully leans against him, until lifts her hands rest on top of his.  
Pulling Logan's arms around her she feels him in the same manner.

Despite of the situation, the gestures and them close like this is effectively calming. Taking a bit deeper breath Logan nuzzles the back of Anna's shaven head. The stubble scratches his skin.  
She relaxes further in his embrace and he lets out a soft grunt, closing his eyes. Feeling that they'll be okay. Just need to have a phone and he can-

"How did you find me?"  
"Hrm?"  
"At the hospital, where I was?"  
Opening his eyes Logan looks at the fire over Anna's shoulder.  
"After I woke up in a morgue-"  
She turns to glance with disbelief. He chuckles.  
"Not my first one. They probably soon start charging for rent."  
She barks out a laugh, holding her stomach.  
"Auh auh, my tummy", she whines and makes him laugh, hugging her tighter.  
He continues.  
"So, after that, I went back to that motel you were at. Found the car. I presume you drove?"  
"Hah! Excuse you? _Something_ jumped onto the road in front of me."  
"Well, after that I couldn't know where you were, but figured out you would be in a hospital. I started going through them, first all the nearest but-"  
"You actually did that? Checked through every hospital?"  
He's not sure how to take her tone. She sounds very surprised.  
"Yeah?"  
Why he wouldn't had done that? She was in danger. And she was in danger because of him. Victor wouldn't have come after her if it wasn't for Logan.  
As Anna didn't question more, her fingers stroking against his hairy arms, Logan kept explaining.  
"Just went through every hospital near the area, and then others in Canada. Got finally lucky and found you."  
And then they ended into that laboratory.  
Though Logan didn't know what they did to him nor her, not sure was she used like he had been or something else.

The two ferals fell into silence, sitting close together near the fire. Logan sighed, thinking the situation, how to get them to the School.  
But he was sleepy again, his mind processing only the most important needs at the moment.  
Hungry, thirsty and cold.  
Needed to make a camp or find some warmer, dryer place. He would survive, just needed a bit more rest and food, hunt some, and he would be better but what about Anna?  
She wasn't like him. She was pretty much a normal person, so he needed to take care of her first.  
If Logan just had a phone, he could make the call and get someone from the School to get them.

"You should sleep", Anna said while looking at him.  
"No, I guard, you sleep."  
"I don't need it like you do", she said back. "You could hardly stand up when I found you, _you_ need to sleep."  
"I'll be fine", he grumbled. "I'll take the first shift, _you_ sleep."  
But as neither was showing signs of retreating, a staring contest started between the two. Logan squinted and let out a rumble in his chest.  
Anna huffed: "Just like with him."  
Confused, he asked what she meant.  
"Like with Victor."  
Shock. Disgust.  
"Or you both are just typical feral males: stubborn and just need to get what _you_ want, fuck the others."

Uneasiness. Swallowing uncomfortably, Logan unconsciously loosened his hold around Anna as she looked at the fire.  
"...What did he do?"  
How much was she really hurt? What Sabretooth did? What made Anna compare Logan to him?  
The guilt is stronger as also is the anger. Logan should had staid away, knowing that Sabretooth would find her and just do what he always did.

A small part of Logan had been hopeful, that the crazy feral had been saving worst things for later after taking Anna from the village.

* * *

Anna was maybe a bit irritated.  
But not angry, she didn't want to feel like that, not now.  
She didn't want to snap at Logan. He was the only thing she had now. Only living, _real_ thing.  
But she couldn't stand it how he acted when he started asking about Victor, all cautiousness, fearing something.  
Presuming things of Victor and that somehow made Anna annoyed.

Logan knew enough, or she had thought so, that Anna was not one to break down when things get a little rough.  
She was not a victim and she couldn't stand it if Logan now would treat her like one.  
She didn't deserve it. She had freed him and taken him out of that place with her.

 _"You did thought about leaving him, when he couldn't first stand."  
_ Anna glances at Victor, standing on the other side of the campfire.  
Weird.  
You would think she would had stopped seeing him after she got out of that place. And with Logan sitting right behind her.  
And yes, she had thought about leaving Logan when it seemed he was not fit to escape. But the injected stuff had worked, she didn't need to leave him after all. So no need to think about it.  
Victor however was not convinced.  
 _"You mean no need to think: would you had come back to him?"_ the hallucination mocked: _"After all, it's not like he had come for you, gone through who knows how many hospitals to find and save **you**."_

She didn't ask him to. And she didn't ask him to treat her cautiously. Victor had not done anything to her that should turn her into a victim. She had it worse with father. Compared to him, Victor was... Different.  
Anna scowled at Logan's worried look as she quickly glanced.

"Logan. I wanna make something clear."  
Maybe there was a bit of a cold edge in her voice, but she was too vexed to think if it was wise to have that kind of tone now.  
She didn't want to drive Logan off but she couldn't stand his attitude neither.  
Almost fully turning to look at him, but the wounds preventing, Anna stated.

"Victor did **not** do anything to me. He tried, but I snapped his neck."

Despite of the tenseness, Logan sputtered out a laugh. It almost changed Anna's stern expression, almost.  
"Yeah, I showed him. So do not think that he did anything that you think he did."  
The humor left Logan, curiosity and worry replacing it.  
"...What he did then?"  
Anna kept herself from turning to look at Victor, as he chortled at the other side of the campfire.  
 _"Oh where to start!"_

And not wanting to look at Logan either and see his reaction, Anna turned her face sideways to both ferals.  
"We just fucked. Nothing serious", the truth was thrown out as casually as she could. Yet Logan went stiff like a wooden plank.  
She still didn't look at him, closing her eyes when her gaze tried to betray her.

"...Then he did-?"  
" **No**. I just said, he didn't. We had sex. Together. It was consensual", she emphasized through gritting teeth, forcing her gaze onto him and keeping it steady. Wanting to get away from Logan but keeping herself still.  
She wanted to make it clear that Victor did not rape her. Nor hurt her, much. But why did it matter anymore? He was not here with her and Logan. And she shouldn't care what Logan thought. She needed to focus to get out of this forest and into somewhere, where she could figure out what to do next.  
She should drop Logan at some safe place where he could get back to his home. At least Anna presumed he had a home. He never talked much about where he lived exactly. He had said he was a gym teacher at a school.  
"So, he did not force you? Hurt you in any way?"  
Why was it so hard to believe her?  
Anna slowly shook her head.  
He let out a strange noise in his throat, that she interpreted as disbelief.

"What is the deal between you two?" she changed the subject. "Why is he so much after you?"  
Loosening his arms more around her, he grunted tiredly.  
"It's complicated."  
"And you need to sleep."

A warning growl. Not like Victor's. Not like father's. Logan's growls are a bit lighter and round, not sharp and deep. Nor vicious.  
"Sabretooth is just a psychopathic nutbag. Has obsession on me. He just wants to piss me off for kicks."  
"...He did call you his brother."  
"Yeah, he does that."  
Anna relaxed.  
"But you're not?"  
He doesn't answer nor look at her.  
"Logan?"  
"Don't know", he finally mutters. "Most of my memories... They're gone, like I have said. I have some that I think are about Sabretooth, but they are just messy. Don't know who he actually is. But he hasn't done anything to make me believe him. He's insane, Anna."  
She nodded and leaned her back against him. His arms rose to circle her again.  
Some time later of silence, Anna feels Logan taking deep, even breaths.

Guess every feral family has their own problems. Was it in their nature or were the three of them just that unlucky?  
Logan had told more than Anna had expected. Usually he was not so open about his private stuff.  
 _"Don't you feel all special."_  
Anna glances to her side, at Victor's blurry form.  
 _"Shouldn't you disappear already?"_  
 _"You want me to?"_  
She can't decide should she be more concerned. That she still sees Victor and what does it mean, or that she's actually having half-conversation with him when Logan, who is real, is right behind her.  
...For now, she decides to ignore not-real-Victor and focus on her surroundings.  
It feels good to finally be outside. Having conversation with someone and move freely.  
The forest is comforting, alive around them, silently. It's not spring yet but neither is it winter, it's at the middle of the changing.  
Anna remembers the spring time at the village, how she would spent time with Gary and Sarah.  
Sad mind turns quickly onto something else.

Anna doesn't think that Victor is as crazy as Logan says. Or at least, Victor doesn't fill her requirements of being crazy.  
Victor is clever. He has clear feeling of his surroundings and the reality. He doesn't speak to something that wasn't there and he didn't believe in anything irrational.  
The only thing Anna could say was crazy about him, was that he had been so eager and determined to keep her. As so-called-mate.  
When she clearly didn't want to.

 _" **Didn't** want to?"_  
"Still don't." Anna answered, out loud to her imagination, feeling Logan slightly stir behind her.  
Hugging one of Logan's arms against her chest, she stayed still until he settled back.

She thought about the brothers' quarrel.  
Victor clearly was bitter of something towards Logan, but it seemed that Logan didn't really know what about. And most likely Victor had done some nasty things to make Logan speak of the other feral like that. In revengeful and spiteful tone.  
But why all that? Even if Victor is quick to anger, would he be so petty towards his brother?  
The question _why_ was tempting at the back of Anna's mind.  
But only somewhat. Anna didn't think getting meddled into others' fights was a good idea. Especially with ferals. Messy and dangerous. Raising uncomfortable memories.  
And it didn't help she had a connection to both sides.

She wouldn't do anything good, considering what she had done to her father in the end.

* * *

Neck jolting up Logan wakes and this time he's not empty handed. But he's again the last one to wake up.  
"How did you sleep?"  
Half-grunting the feral man stretched his neck, legs, arms and back while the woman sat between his legs.  
"How about you?"  
"Just snugly. Had a guy drooling on my back through the whole night."  
Huffing Logan motioned her to get up.  
He notices how gingerly she did that.  
"We need to get food", Anna says and looks at the faintly smoking campfire. Pulling down their cloths he offers hers and they dress themselves up.  
"You have that gun, shouldn't be hard."  
"Would that be wise? They could hear us."  
"If they were after us, I think we had noticed them already."  
She seemed to think that fact through carefully, putting on the bulletproof vest.  
"Fine. Let's keep moving to that direction."

There wasn't much of large game in the area, though what would they have done with a whole moose, but luckily there was a lot of little critters.  
When Anna shot a hopping rabbit, she recoiled, massaging the side of her head.  
"Shit that's loud."  
"You okay?"  
"What?"  
"You, okay?"  
"Who's mocking?"  
It took some time for her hearing to settle. In that time they had collected the rabbit and wandered forward, Logan skinning the rabbit.

"So what's between you two then?" Logan wondered with a bloody rabbit on his hands.  
"Between who?" Anna questioned back.  
"You and him."  
Halting Anna turned towards Logan. Opened but then closed her mouth, looking at something behind him.  
Logan glanced but didn't see anything there, turning back to her.  
"Nothing, really", she answered and turned away.  
They continued walking.  
"We just had sex. And drinks. Talked shit."  
"...Just that?"  
"Well we did try to kill each other. Almost drowned because of that idiot."  
Logan chuckled shortly.  
"And you say he didn't hurt you at all?"  
"He did that. But I like to think I paid it back with snapping his neck, cutting his arm and stabbing him."  
Shaking his head, Logan was not sure should he be worried or humored. It was really odd to hear all this so casually.  
All that Anna described about, with all of its brutality and bloodiness, sounded just like the psycho feral but Anna talked about it like it was just normal. And as Logan looked, she seemed almost... Bit sheepish about it.  
It was absurd. Disturbing. Then Logan remembered.  
"What happened in the village then?"  
She didn't look at him nor said anything for a long time.  
"They were killed, Anna", he told her. "They are both dead. Gary and Joseph... And Sarah?"  
"...I know."  
"Then why were you _with_ him?"  
"I had no choice! I was alone. And wounded. And he was talking crazy! Talking about me being his mate, and I was hurt and I was unable to run away from him."  
"He said what?"  
"His mate. What the hell does that even mean, Logan?"

They stopped and Logan was speechless, appalled, looking at worried Anna. If Sabretooth was talking of that kind of crazy shit, this thing just got a lot more disturbing. What the hell was that nut job about mate-thing? It wasn't even a real thing! It surely wasn't Sabretooth's thing. Or at least Logan didn't know anyone who Sabretooth had kept as so-called mate. And didn't want to think how Sabretooth treated someone like that.

"Shit."  
"What?" Logan snapped to look at the direction Anna was staring at, listening. He didn't hear anything, focusing more.  
"...I think that's an engine. Getting louder."  
Now, faintly, Logan started hearing it too. It was heading towards them. He threw the dead rabbit away.  
"Shit! Run."


	3. Three ferals

I think Anna should not have any kind of weapons when angry. Agreed?

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Seeing the two ferals running in the distance, Victor sped up with the quad bike he had taken from the facility.

He had been in a bit of hurry when he had learned, that these two had already escaped from there. So he simply had trapped everyone inside of the facility, and set it on fire. He needed to go after his mate and his little brother, not wanting to lose the traces, but he also had needed to leave a note to whoever idiot had decided to take the two. No-one picked on the runt except him. Nor took his mate.  
Now, he needed to get his mate back and give a bit of a beating to the mate stealing runt. That little traitor...

Gaining on at the uneven ground Victor made an eye contact with Jimmy. It made the runt stop from running, Anna doing the same as she also looked.  
Sabretooth jumped off from the running vehicle, landing not too far from the two, and stood up with relaxed, confident pose.  
The quad bike without a driver rammed into a pit.

Hands in jacket's pockets, Victor lazily gazed from the ready-to-fight-runt to Anna.  
Seeing her, alive even though somewhat unwell, had a strong effect. He wanted to get to her immediately and hold her.

But the runt was on the way with six blades all out. The runt could hurt someone with those.

"How's the hiking?" Victor asked with a smile, starting to pace in front of them back and forth. He was not sure, but it did smell like Jimmy's scent was on Anna. In a freshly manner.  
It doesn't help at all the beast man's rising spite.  
He can smell clearly from Jimmy how the runt despises him back, but Anna... Anna's scent was a worryingly mix of anxiety and relief. She had that face of hesitation, gaze going between him and the runt.  
It should not be like that.  
She was suppose to look at him, only him, come to him, and be happy that he was there!  
Not good, not good at all. Need to get her away from Jimmy boy. Baby brother may have already tattled some little nasty secrets that Anna doesn't need to know yet. Or ever.

"By the way, cleaned the mess you left back at there. Did you know they had locators on you?"

Victor just wanted to command Anna to come to him and then the two of them could leave. Runt could just walk to his own _family_ on his own. But would she come, if Victor told her to? Maybe he should just drag her- No. That would just spook her. She was hesitating now, he can't make a mistake now.  
Logan stepped forward, raising his claws.  
"Thanks of that, bub. Now, we are gonna borrow your vehicle."  
"Oh? But I need it, I came to get her. And to beat a little thief who snatched her."  
"She's not yours, doughhead. Just skip to the real reason you're after her and I'll slice yah good."

Sabretooth half-laughed, pacing faster with extended claws and teeth itching. Not his to own... She was his, everything about her. That was clear and the runt has no business in it!  
Guess this is how Jimmy always feels when Victor messes up with the runt's frails. Victor can understand now, how the other can be a bit bitter from all that...

"Oi!"  
Both of them looked at Anna.  
"I'm **right** here. Can't I have anything to say in this?"  
"Not this time bambi, hush", Victor said, earning a furious and shocked look from his mate. They would talk about it later. Right now, the runt needed to be put down.

Fight started as soon as Sabretooth lunged at Wolverine, knocking him down. The two cut deep into each other, ripping pieces and throwing each other around. It sounded as it looked: a vicious, bloody battle as two large predators fought to kill each other.

* * *

Never had Anna seen two ferals fighting among each other.  
And this one felt especially gory.  
It was nothing compared to hers and Victor's fighting, chasing each other with quick turns and swift hits.  
Logan's and Victor's fight was about colliding with teeth and claws.

She watched as Victor ripped into Logan's stomach while Logan stabbed rapidly with his claws into other's back. The two rolled on the forest floor while clawing each other, blood splattering around.  
The heavy scent of it was everywhere, irony, tangy and steaming in the chilly open air.  
The sight of the fight was... Making Anna's pulse go faster, feel twisted excitement.  
But also wary.

Anna's animal side told her to run. Run away from this danger in front of her, from the violence and blood.  
Because when one dies, the standing predator will turn its attention to her.  
But she refused to run. She staid rooted on her place. And she really couldn't move even if wanting to, as she was frozen and just staring. Fear and interest dominating against each other.  
Logan slashed at Victor's chest, blood spraying. The bigger feral roared, and Anna's right foot took a step towards him. The sting as she heard the pain in Victor's voice invasive.

Then, as she started to move, Logan was thrown across the air.  
Right onto her, and the impact sent both rolling onto the ground.

The impact especially hurt Anna's stomach where there were bullets, sealed under the oddly fast closed skin. She withdraw, gasping for air as she hold her middle. Wolverine rolled onto his feet and immediately charged back at Sabretooth. The two beast men continued fighting as Anna tried to breath and not to puke.  
The pain however did one good thing: it cleared Anna's mind.  
And now she was pissed. Of everything, of the impact and the pain. At the two fighting there like rabid dogs, her anxiousness rising fast.  
And at the pain, those ears hurting roars, this forest, this whole place and the pain and the sounds and she wanted to make it all just, to... **S** **top!**

Anna pulled out a gun, aimed and fired.  
The first couple of shots missed, but the sounds faltered the fighting ferals for a moment and that was all she needed. First Logan and then Victor, both falling onto the ground as bullets hit their heads.  
Finally it was quiet, her head aching from the gunshots. Anna cursed, mumbled and gagged. She bent over and felt like strongly needing to vomit as the pain was getting worse inside her middle. Gulping she forced herself not to puke and slowly straightened up. She pulled up her cloths and the vest, seeing three dark spots on her skin darkening and widening.  
Covering the strange wounds she swallowed and looked at the two ferals.

Then she understood what exactly she had done in a sudden impulse and anger.  
The two men surely will be pissed at her, when they wake up... Cursing she limped to the bodies, seeing Logan just with two clean bullet holes on his head, while Vic-  
Anna stared, wondering.  
Victor doesn't die from broken neck. But what if he's head is missing a piece? A big piece?  
Staring at the scattered chunks of brains, Anna was swayed by starting worry.  
No. Victor is okay.

 _"Well that's a way to get rid off me."_  
Gaze rose to another Victor, who looked down at his dead himself.  
"He's not dead, right?" she asks, ignoring the little shakiness in her voice.  
Victor is not dead?  
 _"Can't say but I **think** brains are pretty important thing about body surviving. Remember, reading all those Sarah's books? And then Gary?"_  
The man's death flashed in her mind.

Dropping the gun Anna rushed to Victor's still unmoving body. She falls onto her knees and places her fingers onto his inner wrist and she waits. And waits.  
Then places her fingers to the side of his throat.  
But there's still no pulse. Didn't he quickly got his pulse back when his neck had been broken?  
"Heh, no. Na-ah. You- Hey!"  
Agitated she looks Victor over, trying to think something but any first aid skills she has won't do anything for that kind of head damage.  
Gripping her head, taking deep breaths and not noticing tears, she tries to think.  
But just remembering how she killed Gary, Joseph and father.  
Did she actually kill Victor now?  
"No."  
She couldn't have killed Victor. Not now. First he's all hard to get rid off and now- No. No no.  
It's getting harder to breath, to think. Why is it so hard to breath? Why does it hurt? It feels like when Sarah died but Victor is not Sarah. He's just some idiot who started harassing and wouldn't die. He couldn't die, he said it to her.

Anna places her hands warily on Victor's chest, giving a small shake. Then another with more force.  
"Hey, hey, puss? You- Aren't you- Not- Fuck! You are not? Right? Not dead?"

She screwed up, again, but she didn't mean it with Joseph and Gary and neither with Victor. She didn't mean it, Victor can't just die.  
Everything is aching, around and inside, as she tries to keep calm. Everything just slips away as she looks at dead Victor. His eyes staying murky and staring, not clear and warm. They are like doll's eyes.  
"COME ON!"  
She hits where his heart is. It has to beat.  
 _"Oh, so you didn't want to kill me?"_  
"No!"  
Victor is not dead. He's a tough bastard who won't just die because of damn bullet exploded his head!  
"Please..."  
Maybe- Maybe if she- No, she doesn't know. She doesn't know what to do. This is not a flesh wound.

Still, in desperation, Anna tries. Putting her mouth against his, giving artificial respiration. Breathing air into him and pressing his chest in steady rhythm.  
"I tell you when to die", she mumbles before pressing lips again to his mouth. She wouldn't admit the victory like this. He wasn't even fighting against her. It was a cheap shot!  
 _"...It's not working."  
_ "Shut up!"

Her knuckles turn white as fingers curl onto Victor's shirt. Her vision is blur and she blinks away the tears waiting for the bastard suddenly to get up. Mock her or something! Haa haa, she got scared and he tricked her, so freaking funny you asshole!

"Victor? Pl- I'm... I'm sorry? Please? Victor? Come on, I'm so- This is not funny!"

Weeping silently she tried one more time to shake him, letting out a sob as she pressed her face against his body.  
"You fucking liar! You can't just-"

Her voice broke.

* * *

The wounds on Logan's head heals as the bullets are pushed out. The wounds first mends themselves from inside before the surface. The bullets drop out, organic tissue knitting itself back together.  
Slowly he comes back alive, with uneven jumps.  
The first thing he can sense is a sound. First it's vague as his hearing comes back slowly.  
Then aching shots through him and he groans, eyelids closing tight as his head hurts.  
The odd, more clear and obtrusive sound keeps going on.  
"Shut up..." he murmurs.  
It takes more minutes for him to be able to move, and during that time he understands, that the sound he hears is someone crying. A human. A female

Getting up Logan looks.

Anna is in fetal position on her knees, next to Sabretooth, letting out now and then sounds of a wounded animal. Her hands are on the dead feral, clutching onto his clothes.

It is a disturbing scene, because of Victor.  
If it would be anyone else than Victor, Logan wouldn't be so troubled.  
He doesn't know what to thing or say. But he knows what they should do.  
They better get away before Sabretooth starts healing himself.

"Anna", Logan says hoarsely but she keeps leaning over the dead one.  
" **Anna**."  
The woman goes silent, not looking at him.  
Logan hesitates before saying.  
"...He is not dead."  
"How you know?" she chokes.  
He snorts.  
"I know. He's suffered worse in the past. More than a bullet in the head."  
"...E- Even though... Half of his brains is missing?"  
He can't believe he's trying to calm down someone from believing that Victor was actually dead.  
"It's not...A problem."  
Anna sits up, Logan noticing one of her hands still lingering onto Sabretooth's jacket.

With awkward silence Logan gets up, walks towards her and then kneels down next to the dead feral.  
"What are you doing?" Anna asks as Logan moves his hands on Victor.  
"Searching for a phone. We need to get away fast before he wakes up. He's gonna be cranky."  
"We?"  
He stops and looks as she tries to hide her wet face from him.  
"...You wanna stay with him?"  
She doesn't answer, but asks instead.  
"...How bad is it gonna be?"  
"More than I wanna deal with now."  
"...Okay... I'll... I will go with you."

Logan is relieved of the answer, and finds Victor's phone.  
It has a lock on, but Logan can still make emergency call. And through them, contact the School.

Standing up and waiting he glances at Anna still holding onto Victor with one hand.  
He tries not to see it and looks away.


	4. New prison

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Something is there, with her.  
Right behind her.

Staying absolutely still she listens. But even though she could sense it, she can't hear it. No breathing nor even a heartbeat. Nothing, no matter how much she tries.  
But it was there, Anna knows it.  
She was sensing it. Like a stalked prey sense a beast hiding in a tall grass.  
It stands behind her and hair on her neck rose. A web of prey's terror spreads through her.  
And then, when it finally made a sound, a whole sentence, it was far more terrifying than it just being there.

 **You left him.**

Its pressing presence felt suddenly far more closer. It sent Anna's heart and instincts fleeing, she following after.  
Forcing onto her feet she dashed forward, sensing _it_ following her.

 **You just left him there!**

It chased her with terrifying speed, not falling behind no matter how much she pushed herself forward.

 **Rotting carcass for scavengers!**

The voice was so full of anger. Booming like a gunshot, piercing.  
The frightened feral woman ran to get away from the following threat. She bolted, vision tunneled and her ears strained to listen the predator behind. It wasn't speaking to her anymore and so she couldn't hear it. But it was there, following. It was maddening, sense and yet not sense it.

Fear was like water poured into an empty vessel.

She couldn't stop from running and turn to see what it was that chased her.  
Because what if she couldn't fight it? What if she couldn't see it? What if it would just swallow her and she would no more be able to run? She was too scared, feeling too weak.  
So, instead, Anna chose to jump into a abyss opening in front of her, ending the nightmare.

Anna woke up, shaking under warmth and softness.  
Gaze wild she looked at her unknown surroundings.  
She was inside of a room that had one wall made from glass. On the other side of the see-through wall was a hallway with white walls. A new threat rose.  
Was this the laboratory again?  
Where was Logan? Or Victor? How did she end up here? She shouldn't have shot him!

"Yeah, that was a **stupid** move."  
Anna's wide eyes settles onto Victor. He lazily leans against a concrete wall next to her bed.  
He smirks.  
"Slept well?"  
  
...He was not real, Anna could hear his voice inside her head. He was not the real Victor.

 _"As real as you make me."_  
Anna turned to her other side, grimacing from pain on her middle, staring now at a white wall. This place seemed very much like the laboratory.  
 _"Aaw, is that a way to treat your savior?"_  
She flinched from the sound of fingers snapping.  
 _"Oh no, my bad. How we reward saviors is by shooting their heads into a mush. Bang!"_  
She was not going crazy. Not now. She needed to get her head straight.  
 _"Speaking of heads. Do you think it has gone enough time for me to get my... **H** **ead** **back together**?"_  
"God that's awful."

"What is, miss?"

Turning around, Anna had not excepted to see a giant furry blue beast on two legs while wearing lab clothes. She stared at the odd creature.

"…Who are you?"  
"I'm doctor Hank McCoy, miss. You are in X-men's care, so please, do not be alarmed. We are friends of Logan."

* * *

Walking on fast pace Wolverine was groggy from being woken up by Hank's call. But he had told to be informed right away.  
He was worried how Anna would react to where she had been placed at, but after what she did, he really couldn't say no to others.  
He was relieved however, when walking to the holding cells: Anna was calmly sitting on the bed, cross-legged and Hank was standing near the glass wall, talking to her.

Logan grunted to them.  
"Ah, hello Logan. I was just telling to miss Anna about our school and the X-men."  
"Didn't know you are a superhero", she throw, not smiling nor having a teasing tone. But not negative kind of either. Just a flat pointing out.  
"Not really."

"Well then", Hank said while looking both at them. "As you are here, I guess Anna would be more comfortable to answer some of my questions, as also me doing inspection."  
"What kind of inspection?" Anna asked sharply and Logan tried to reassure her.  
"It's okay. This is not the facility, if you don't want something to be done to you, we won't."  
"Of course not! Miss, I only want to help you. None of us here want anything bad to you", Hank added with shocked face.  
The men watched at the woman then, who stared them back from the cell.  
"...Fine."

As the door was opened, Logan was first to step inside and kept close eye on Anna, watching for signs of odd behavior. She was tense, on guard but still cooperative as Hank asked her to lift her shirt.  
"How does the wounds feel?"  
"Aching, but it's pretty numb kind of."

"Right. Well, you had three bullets stuck inside your middle. Can you tell what happened?" Hank asked while showing he was going to put his hand on her bandaged stomach, and as she didn't refuse, he started pressing.  
"A guard sho- Mgh."  
"This hurt?"  
"Mildly. A guard shot, as I escaped."  
"But you don't have a healing ability, right?" Logan questioned, and Anna shook her head slowly.  
"No. I don't. I've been usually healthy, and faster healer than... Someone else. Nothing superior though. Nothing like with these bullets."

As Hank started asking more questions, Logan started wondering.  
What had they done to them? What Hank could tell, Logan was normal and he did feel completely fine. All that he could tell was, that the strangers had taken samples from him. But to Anna they had done experiments, injecting her.  
So Hank ended up taking some blood samples, leaving then Anna and Logan alone in the cell.

"What do you think about the place?" Logan asked, as she was putting down her shirt.  
"Pretty white."  
Humming he sat with her onto edge of the bed.  
"Hank said I should ask from you why I'm in here, in the cell."  
"You don't remember anything then?"

She shook her head, and Logan put his hand together, leaning his elbows against his knees.  
"What's the last thing, that you remember?"  
She took awhile: "We where heading to the landing spot... Where your friends were. Waiting for us with a plane."  
"Nothing after that?"  
"No... Logan, what did I do?"  
"Well", he finally told, watching Anna's reaction: "You attacked us."  
"What?" she asked, confused.

Folding his arms across his chest, Logan explained: "We were getting into the plane, when you suddenly started acting odd. You wondered about Sabretooth, said you can't leave him and then you tried to get back into the forest. You looked like you were... Upset, deeply. You wouldn't listen nor talk to us, just tried to go. You attacked us when we tried to stop you then."

"...Shit", Anna said after a moment, hanging her head and looking down. "Did I hurt anyone?"  
"Ororo has a broken leg. Peter is fine. And me, well-"  
"I'm so sorry, Logan."  
Logan frowned as she hunched, hands rising behind her neck.  
"I'm sorry", she repeated. "I just keep messing things up. Fuck..."

"...It's not that bad", he tried.  
"How is it _not_ bad?" she hissed, raising gaze at him. Standing up, Anna started walking around with raising tension: "I attacked your friends. I shot you, I shot Victor. I shoot everyone! I'm loosing the control. I don't remember things. I _see_ things and I don't- I don't have _anything,_ anymore! I have _nothing!_ "  
Logan rose up as his friend covered her face. Obviously trying to hide her starting tears.  
"I have _nothing_. I just screwed everything up, and it's my faul-!" she shouted, voice breaking and going quiet. Logan approached her, but as she turned away, he halted.  
Then took couple of steps, lightly touching her elbows. As she didn't flinch this time, he gently grabbed her and lead her back to the bed. She let him sat her down, as he settled next to her.  
She half-curled, hiccuping and trying to keep herself quiet and still.  
It saddened Logan to see Anna like this, almost at breaking point.

And he didn't know what to say. So he just raised his hand to pet her back, staying close and leaning his forehead against her upper arm. It seemed, after awhile, to calm her some. But she was still tense.  
"...Maybe you should sleep?"  
With a small voice, Anna asked: "What's gonna happen to me here?"

"Nothing. You are not a prisoner."  
Dry laugh.  
"It sure doesn't _look_ like it."  
"You need time to recover from that shitplace we were in. Physically **and** mentally. You already beat us after snapping."  
"I didn't-!"  
"But you understand, that we need to see you are okay. We are a school, we have kids here with their own powers that are not all under their control. We just want to help you, Anna"  
"...Okay. Fine. But I can leave, when you think I'm not dangerous?"  
"...If you want to."

It was kinda lie though.  
Really, Logan wished Anna would stay with them, for awhile. She needed their help. And she was wanted by the police, because of the massacre at the village. But clearly Anna was not in the right mind to know about that, and Logan was sure Hank also thought the same. They would work with the police, when Anna was more ready.  
Logan however believed Anna was innocent at what happened in the village.  
She had always acted protective towards her little brother and Sarah, and respected her adoptive father. She wouldn't just kill them, and she had talked about the village as her home that she wanted to keep safe.  
And it had to be remembered that Sabretooth was mixed up into this. Most likely it was all his doing, as also Anna's odd occasionally manifesting behavior.

"But you can stay with me, here, as long as you need. You are safe."  
She chuckled, glancing with teary eyes.  
"Thanks..."  
He gave her a small smile, feeling she didn't entirely believe him but it was okay. She just needed time.  
On her start, the two ferals touched their foreheads together.  
"You are good friend, Wolfie."  
"Tsk, you ain't bad either Annabel... You got me out of that place."

* * *

While Hank was handling Anna's blood samples, Logan came into the lab from the holding cells. The blue furred man glanced quickly and then continued, questioning.  
"How is she?"  
"Could be better", the shorter man grunted while approaching. "When will the tests be ready?"  
"I have some other things to be done today, so tomorrow I'll probably have the results and some answers", Hank explained while distributing the woman's blood into separate, smaller containers. While doing it, he noticed Logan's presence behind him, watching. Hank didn't say anything though, anticipating his friend soon to say what ever was in his mind.  
And the doctor was right.

"What do you think they did to her?"  
"I'm not certain Logan. But if they only took samples from you, and then proceeded to experiment with her, and adding to that her sudden healing factor... I can guess they wanted to try if they could copy your ability."

"Do you think it's permanent?"  
"I can't say anything certainly _before_ test results and after some time has passed", he pointed out, getting up and took the samples into a fridge. "However, she described she had most of her life been healthy, getting over sicknesses and injuries fast... It can be she has always had the regenerative ability, but a weak one. Maybe the experiments made it stronger. But her wounds hadn't healed efficiently: the bullets were sealed inside instead of the body getting rid off them, like yours does."

Hank turned towards Logan.  
"I'm more worried of her mental state though. I understand, that after Sabretooth and the lab, she is traumatized, but you mentioned that there was more?"

As Logan told him, Hank was strongly disgusted as also appalled: "Anna said, that Sabretooth had been calling her his mate."  
Closing his yellow beast eyes, the doctor took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his wide nose.  
He took a moment to proceed this information, pushing down the malaise. He wondered why the psychopathic feral was using a myth for... His sick mind games. Though who was to wonder what went inside of Sabretooth's mind.  
"How does she experience it?"  
When Logan didn't answer, gaze on the floor, Hank repeated: "Logan?"  
"I'm not sure what I saw", the shorter one answered with a frown.  
"But... Before he showed up in the forest, and after she shot him... Anna had talked and acted alarmingly. She acted dismissively or repudiating what ever he had done to her. And as she thought she had killed him after the shot, she... Was actually worried she had killed him for good. And then she had gone crazy at the plane, because of wanting to go back to him."

Sighing Hank noted while explaining: "Stockholm syndrome. While being captured by him she may have became confused and developed a connection to him. Most likely that was Sabretooth's idea, manipulate her. And so get to you. Should be fixed with time and therapy."  
"Yeah, I wondered something like that."  
Logan however continued. "But she also was clearly frightened about the mate thing."  
Hank wondered, placing glasses back onto his face and going to a monitor that showed the cells. At the moment on the screen it showed Anna in her cell, sleeping or at least lying on the bed.  
"...I wish to have couple of talking sessions with her. Do you think, Logan, that she would agree to it?"  
"She'll be cautious at first."  
"Of course", Hank noted, offering a smile but then sobered. "We also need to talk with Ororo of how we'll handle the police and when tell to Anna."  
"We should just keep it low. It was clearly Sabretooth, and Anna is not a murderer."  
"Maybe she's not", Hank raised his hand when seeing Logan's reaction: "But others and students will identify her from the news and they will be worried."  
"...Right."

"Don't worry my friend. We will help her within our power as much as we can. She's in our care now."


	5. Broken and crooked things

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

What ever Logan or Hank had said, the place did seem very much similar to that other place.

She was held in a restricted area, behind a closed and locked door.  
The place was boringly, mind-numbingly plain white.  
There was a camera on the hallway, filming her.  
She had been handled by a person in a lab suit.  
She felt uncomfortable that she had been treated, when unconscious, by these strangers and had been put into this cell, even if these were Logan's friends. They still were strangers to her.

However, she was not bound.  
And she had a bed, and she was able to walk around.  
And they had said, that she would be freed after they would think she was not a threat anymore.  
How long would that take, she wondered. What would she need to do?

Walking next to the see-through wall, trying not to look suspicious, Anna observed it. It looked sturdy. And if these cells were for uncooperative mutants, the wall would stand against her kicks. Especially in her weakened state.  
Now as she was calm and there was no foreign medicine in veins, Anna could feel how weak she has become. Recovering at the hospital and then being bound in that facility had clearly effected her body. Clenching different muscles, as also already feeling a bit tired from just walking around, she felt anxious.  
She needs to get better. She was not gonna survive if she wouldn't get a grip of herself.

Before she could start working out though, there was a sound of someone stepping into the hallway. Turning and listening, waiting, Anna recognized appearing doctor Hank.  
"Good evening miss Anna, how are you?"  
"Need to use a bathroom. And hungry", she shrugged.

"I thought so. If you would please follow me, you can use the bathroom in my lab as also have something to eat. I took the liberty to bring some food from our cafeteria."  
The blue man pressed a code to the door's control panel, and it opened while he smiled.  
Staring expressionlessly, pondering her options, Anna nodded and started following.  
"You are not afraid of me getting out of control?"  
He gave a look.  
"Are you going to?"  
"No."  
The furry man then smiled: "Then I think you are clear headed enough to be trusted. As Logan probably explained, your sudden behavior before coming here caused concerns. We will just keep you in the cell for couple of more days and then you'll get your own room from upstairs and can roam freely in our school's boundaries."  
"...You are not letting me go?"  
"We more of hope you'll stay with us a bit longer, as a guest."

Anna didn't like that. It, this man, sounded suspicious. She still needed to stay even if they would see her as a non-threat? Or...  
Did they know? About the murders? Her doings? Had she said or done something, that had given her away?  
"I hope you could relax miss Anna. I promise, you are in no danger in here."  
So he says. She didn't believe. Feeling the need to escape. If she would knock him out- No. She didn't know how many was there. Or how to get out. And they had said this was a school, full of mutants.  
And she was _weak_.  
"Miss Anna?"

Halted on her place, the woman looked at the stranger. Doctor Hank was a stranger to her, even if he's Logan's friend.  
Was Hank leading her into a trap? He said _lab_. Laboratories meant tests. This was unfamiliar place, full of unfamiliar _mutants.  
_ Seeing suddenly Victor behind Hank, staring at her with a head wound, Anna took a step back.  
"I wanna go back to the cell", she demanded, taking steps back.  
"Miss Anna-"  
"Now", she turned around.  
She maybe was trapped there, but at least she could be sure of her surroundings and limit the possibilities of which directions would someone attack her. Glancing sharply behind her, only seeing following Hank now, she kept walking towards the open cell.  
After she got in, facing Hank, she felt a bit more calm.  
"...How do you feel?"  
"I want out", she answered.  
"...But you were getting out from this cell?"  
From that comment, shame started creeping onto.  
"I wanna get out of _this place._ Far as possible and just be left alone."  
"...Are you afraid of us, Anna?"  
"I am not."  
 _"You are."_  
"I am not!" she yelled, baring her teeth and almost looked behind herself at Victor. But she stopped herself, knowing that he was not real.  
Why was he not real? Why was she still imagining him when he was just _dead_ outside there? How could she believe Logan? Why couldn't they just let her go?!

"Miss Anna, please calm down. There's no reason to be upset", doctor Hank emphasized and she had to clench her teeth to stop from yelling at him.  
If she wanted out, she needs to stay calm. Act like a normal person. Fool them, make them think she wasn't a killer and so they can let her go. It may take for awhile but hey, she had pretended for years to Gary and Sarah.  
She just needs to pretend.

"I'm sorry", she stared at the man who looked with concern. "I don't... I don't know why I got upset."  
"...It is okay", he offered a small smile. "You have been through a lot, so I don't held this against you. At least this time you didn't attack."  
"I'm sorry about that too."  
"I'm not the one you should apologize, but I believe Ororo and Peter will understand too. Now, would you like to use the bathroom and eat something? Or stay in here?"  
"...I would like the first one."  
"Okay, follow me."

Aware of Hank's gaze, Anna tried to step out of the cell. Hesitating, taking a step and wondering why was she so... Cautious. Human side of her knew, that the possibility of being attacked or something else bad happening to her outside of the cell in this place, with Logan's friends, was somewhat small. But, the animal side wanted to advance slowly.  
Like a prey.  
 _"We can always just stay in the cell and live as a zoo animal?"_  
"Let's go", Anna snarled and took faster steps with Hank next to her. Possible trap or a not, she wasn't gonna stay in that cell like a goddammit hare in its den. She would soon get out of this place so she couldn't start... Being afraid of the outside world or something.

At the lab, looking what Hank gotten to her, Anna took pretty much everything except what had lots of meat in it.  
"You don't eat meat?"  
Glancing at the nosy man, she swallowed: "Not really."  
"Is it an opinion or your stomach can't handle it?"  
Putting down the food for a moment she answered: "I just don't like meat."  
"Hmm", the man wondered.  
When he continued asking, Anna decided to keep eating even though she wanted to tell him to shut up.  
"Do you mind if I ask some questions about you? It would be good to us get to know at each other, as we are practically neighbors now."  
The humor was lost in her, but she shouldn't make him mad. But to his credit he added: "Of course, you don't have to answer everything."  
"...Okay."  
"So, you have always lived in the village?"  
"No."  
"Where did you live before?"  
"Nearby, at the forest."  
She didn't like where he was going with the questions.  
"I see... Alone?"  
"...With father."  
"And how was he-"  
"I don't want to talk about him", Anna rushed maybe a bit too sharply, scolding herself. "I'm sorry."  
"It's alright", he assured. "We have many students here with complicated backgrounds. All that you tell me will stay confidential."  
"Are these questions part of some profile you are making of me."

"Well... We want to help you."  
"Appreciated. But I don't need help", she insisted.  
"Are you sure? After what you have been through, don't you feel you would want... Someone to talk to?"

Maybe.  
She needed human connection, that Anna knew now. And maybe having a real conversation partner would help her getting rid off of the hallucinations.  
But talking about things that has happened to her? What she thought about things? What she has done? She doubted that doctor Hank, or anyone of these people, would be so understanding. These people, the X-men, were heroes. Good people.  
They help others, protect them and all that Samaritan thing. And she didn't believe in that, helping others.  
Not at all.  
She believed in taking care of yourself first, of your own and destroying any threats as soon as possible. No second changes. And she liked... Killing. Fighting and winning. Taking a life from opponent who had thought they were gonna beat her.

She had once tried to open up to Sarah, about her view of the world and others and life. And Sarah had been upset. The only way it was resolved was by saying: _"I'm sorry, I'm having a bad day. I guess I drunk too much."  
_ Because good, normal people don't think or do like she does.  
So Anna didn't believe opening up to a stranger, who could alert others and then they would actually prison her or something, if she actually showed that her belief and morals were different. She didn't want to make Logan mad and loose their friendship either.

But.  
If she would humor the doctor some, tell harmless info, would they see her less as a threat?  
If she would play a bit the role of a victim? Though, there was that danger, that they would start protecting her. And Anna didn't fancy that idea either. It was however more desirable situation than the first one.  
After she would get out of here, she wouldn't need to see these people anymore. Their opinions wouldn't matter.

"I don't know how to talk about those kind of things", Anna answered truthfully. Because good lies always have a bit of truth. "No-one really wanted to talk with me about father."  
"That's sad to hear. I presume he died when you were young?"  
"Yes."  
"How did he die? ...Anna?"  
"He wasn't a nice person", she started explaining, looking at the food on a tray in front of her. "He was the local boogeyman. The forest, most of it, was his territory and everyone knew, that they would get killed if crossing the borders."

Hank kept silent, so she continued.

"And guess as they were afraid, they wouldn't do anything to stop him. Even if they knew, found proof or saw me, they wouldn't help."  
"...What do you mean by the last one?"

"...He really..." blinking, pressing a nail against her palm she tried to say it. It somehow seemed now important to say, whatever she had in her mind.  
"He really believed in me. He used to tell how I was gonna be like him. A beast. Powerful. King of the forest. Inherit his territory. He would let me sleep next to him in front of... Of the fireplace. We would walk around, teaching me how to take care of our lands."  
Yes. There once had been a time, when father had been something else. Things, had been different.

"But... As I finally mutated... He... Was not... Happy."  
They had noticed her hearing being better, other senses a bit sharper, before the possible, anticipated physical mutation. Father had painted dreams into her head of claws, powerful and deadly. How she would start climbing trees like he had as a cub. How he had hunted his first prey with bare hands. How different would everything look through eyes of a hunter.

Father had comforted her, as she had now and then cried from the pain. Feeling pressure on her lower back for a whole month as the tail had formed.

"I was clearly a d- Disappointment."  
She had screamed and kicked but father had been so much stronger. Keeping her down as he took out scissors.  
"So he tried to reform me."

Thank god she had blacked out, sunk into a shock as he gnawed it all off. But she still, frequently, felt it. Even if she has gotten used to it during all these years.

Confused of blurry vision, Anna rubbed her eyes. And was confused by the tears. Then ashamed and held herself from looking at the doctor.  
She was supposed to just tell something. Not cry.  
"And so, when I finally had a chance to kill him, I did it", she pointed out. "And ran to the village. The bar owner, Joseph, took me in. And no-one ever talked about my father. Not to my face."

...There was a heavy silence that unnerved her.  
She peeked from the corner of her eye, and saw a grave look on Hank's face. As also sadness, that surprised her. But not as much his words.  
"I am sorry Anna, that you had to live through that."

It was the first time, that Anna ever heard anything like that about her childhood. Gary always looked just sad. Sarah never knew.  
And though Anna didn't want to be seen as a victim, not to be seen lesser what she was...  
She always wanted to hear someone from the village say those words. Just anyone.  
And now hearing them, though from a complete stranger...

Wiping more tears away from her eyes, swallowing and hunched, Anna was grateful Hank didn't say anything else. He just offered a box of tissues, letting her collect herself in peace.  
After some time he then calmly asked: "How do you feel?"  
Anna shrugged.  
"Shameful."  
"You don't need to", he said and she huffed. Then he added: "You can always come talk to me, if you want. I actually hope, that you would start having these kind of conversations with me. Like therapy. You know what that is?"  
She nodded. Sarah had suggested it couple of times, but Anna never wanted to leave the village and go into a city to talk to some stranger about her personal life and feelings.

"These conversations would be about helping you with any problems you have or want to handle. And everything you would say would stay with me, I promise. Would you agree to that kind of arrangement?"  
...She could humor him a bit more. And get his trust.  
Anna nodded.  
"Good. I appreciate that you trust me."

"...The samples you took from me", Anna changed the subject, taking another tissue. "What the results said?"  
"I'm afraid we have to wait for tomorrow."  
"Okay. Then, what is your tentative diagnose?"  
As Hank didn't seem like going to say anything, thinking, Anna pushed more: "I really would like to know."  
"...Well, as what you and Logan told me what happened in that place. And how your body had handled those bullets-"

Taking a shaky breath inside of her cell, Hank already left after closing the door, Anna felt more tears coming and she blinked them away. She took a deep breath, hand clenching over her heart as she walked towards her bed.  
Feeling another wave of need to cry she took quick breaths trying not to.  
Was she really gonna be immortal now?  
Like Logan and Victor?  
Unable to die? Undying?

A joyless spurt of laugh, choked by a inhale of sorrow.  
That would be scary. Really. She doesn't want to live forever.  
She doesn't want to.  
No.  
No fucking way, she didn't want that. She was going to die one day. That was her decision to be made.  
Hank had said, that maybe this wasn't permanent. Maybe it would wear off?

Digging under the blanket, Anna breathed sharply.  
But she had no emotional strength to keep from breaking down anymore. The talk and now the news of her possible new mutation -the secondary mutation Hank had called it- were a bit too much.  
It only made things worse that she was alone with her thoughts, which circled her mind like vultures.  
She was angry. And sad.  
But mostly really, really angry.  
At many things and one of them was Victor. How the hell could he? He brought her into that hospital, that piece of-  
She should have not shot him.  
If she hadn't, she would be with him now and not here, listening this bullshit.  
She wanted Victor there with her, now, bitch to him about this.  
This was his fault. He promised to her at the vet...

IMMORTALITY

The word felt very desolating.

Anna wanted to hear Victor making a joke about it. Say it wouldn't be that bad, or that the blue furry guy was simply wrong. Tell her what to expect.  
But she was alone. Not even the illusion of Victor being there with her.  
She didn't want to call Logan even if Hank had offered. She didn't want-

She wanted that thing that Victor did. By holding her and forcing her to calm down.

It was ironic. The moment she really, really wanted him to be there and he was not. Just like in the lab. Or when he left the village and her, after they- Or like in the hospital.

Anna sniffled out a curse word, feeling another wave of need to cry.

* * *

Somewhere, deep in the woods, rose the sounds of a suffering animal.  
Inhuman sounds, roars and shrieks, echoing between the trees.

Victor was in earthly purgatory, coming back to life in long and short jerks or shakes. Like zapping a dead one, its cells reacting temporarily, going on and off.  
As in small parts, his brains, skull, skin and meat and veins and nerves, all assembled themselves back together.

Rolling on the cold forest dirt Sabretooth had no sense of anything else but that he was suffering greatly, and wanted it to end.

The damage that Anna's action had caused to the brain was complicated and deep. It would take a lot of time, pain and energy. After it would be done, Victor would be unable to move normally or without difficulties for some time.  
But this was not his first time to come back alive, nor the worst situation.  
Even so, just like everyone else, Victor didn't like the pain. Didn't like this lengthening agony.  
The pain was burning through him like a wildfire burns through forest, leaving only smoldering behind.

Sabretooth would suffer through the whole process coming back to life.


	6. Theories and analysis

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

"So, how would you describe it? What was the first thing that told you that something was… Abnormal?"

Hank watched closely at Anna who was wearing censors. Those were attached to machines which showed different readings of her.  
Glancing at the screens, scribbling down notes, the feral man turned back to the pondering woman.

...And as Anna took her time, Hank recalled the couple of sessions they now had behind.  
Especially the one, where she had asked about ferals and mates.

She had surprised him with the question, though the man guessed she wanted to know because of fear towards Sabretooth and what the feral had claimed to her.  
So Hank had tried his best to explain it _truthfully_ to Anna.  
That there was not much proof, no hard evidences about it.

Just theories based on rumors, even though the subject has been popular what comes to studying feral mutants, but it just have been very hard to study.  
But the basic concept was as follows: mate bonding is described as kind of a hormonal bond between two feral mutants. Influencing them in abnormally strong, neurological way.  
However, from biological standpoint it is not prevalent among ferals, not necessary for reproducing. And yet there is rumors and questionable evidences about it.  
That in ferals' mutation there is a gene that chooses their most compatible mating partner with who, among other things, they should produce the best offspring.

Hank had however pointed out, that ferals are still humans. And every feral has a different kind of level at their mutation, how deeply it affects them in both physical and mental level. Some are more animalistic than others, in both or either body and mind. And because of that, studying the mating bond phenomenon is very hard.  
It is difficult to identify, that which one is the mating bond and which is just a strong human attraction.

After that Anna had asked more that how this mate bond, if real, would change a feral. Though she did ask interesting things about it, Hank still didn't have anything solid. Only offering theories.  
Being only able to do that had frustrated the doctor, wanting to give answers as also knowing about the thing. An idea of that kind of phenomenon actually being real was intriguing, making to wonder its effectiveness and fountainhead.

So, if filtering the rumors with science, and thinking a mutant feral with pure instincts of an animal... It could be said that in the average situation mates, a female and a male, would first feel instinctive appeal towards each other just like non-mutants would. Humans are still animals after all, just not with as strong instincts as ferals. However, with this phenomenon, the so-called-bond, can turn the ferals' relationship into much deeper one in short time.  
Even addictive.  
Most likely creating psychical changes that would affect into physicality.  
The mind, and somewhat the body, molding to be more receptive towards the other.

Like when animals bond with each other through courtship, caring for each other and sharing responsibilities to survive together.  
Especially like species that are monogamous for their whole lives with one specific partner.  
And so, with this theory, feral's brains would start to adjust to the positive effect that the other one has, hormones that make us feel good would increase, making the feral desire for the other. And with that would come anxiety if the other one leaves their presence, causing sudden decrease in hormone levels.

Hearing about the negative effect, Anna had demanded to know that if the mating bond was hormonal, then could it be irreversible.  
And, yet again, Hank was unable to give answers. Unable to calm the woman who had gotten upset even though trying to hide.  
The doctor had felt like he had let his patient down...

So maybe because of that failure, a part of Hank thought, that this would be on its own way auspicious opportunity to investigate a possible feral mate bond closely. See if it really existed.  
But the situation was rather troubling in so many ways. Severely, actually, putting the research in a questionable light.  
The woman seemed to have mental issues and she had about a half-week ago been unethically examined in a shady laboratory. And before that, she had been abducted by Sabretooth.

Taking it all into consideration, Hank was very much worried for the woman's mental health. Sabretooth's methods to torture his victims could be very inhuman and terrifyingly intelligent, as also effective.

And what Anna's questions and behavior, as also what Logan would tell, were suggesting, it was even more alarming that what had happened between the woman and the mentally ill man. It was hinted that she was suffering from Stockholm syndrome, she saying that she had not suffered by Sabretooth's hands.  
That, and her previously mentioned problems, very much undermined Victor's argument about the bond between him and Anna.  
However, the woman was not mentioning Sabretooth, not directly.  
And it seemed she was determined to understand her disorders, and some of their possible connections to Sabretooth.

She pursued to stay calm and act clearly, despite of understandable emotional fits now and then.

So, Hank was playing along for now and also avoided from mentioning Sabretooth by name.  
It seemed to be the right approach, for now, at helping Anna get better.

Finally Anna answered to his question, that how her odd behavior, that led to her attacking X-men, started.  
"It was like… I started thinking in illogical way, and yet I felt compelled to do so."  
Hank watched her, giving her time to explain more of her answer, her gaze downcast.  
"Like I was in half. I knew Logan's friend would take us into safety, I trust him, but at the same time I started thinking, that what if they were not people to be trusted? What if they would take us into another lab? I felt worried. And also guilty."  
"Guilty?"  
"…About shooting him."  
"Logan?"  
"No. Well, yes, him too. But also the other one."  
"Why, hm, why do you think you shot them, then? Because they were fighting?"  
"I guess. Though, at the same time I wanted to leave and just run, but I froze. Got stuck in my head", she muttered the rest.  
"And what made you to pull the gun? Can you tell? Was it some thought or-"  
"It was the pain. Logan was thrown at me and it hurt, the bullets in me, and it made me angry. And then I couldn't control it, I just wanted to everything stop. They were **ripping** each other into pieces. And there was organs and blood _everywhere_ as they _still_ **kept fighting** despite of all that and-"  
"It is okay. Anna, take a breath."

Considering she had told about hearing well, Hank held from writing down for a moment, in case the pen scraping the paper would irritate her.  
"So maybe it was stress, that made you pull the gun? The pain was just inciting the action?" he questioned after the machines showed her stress level decreasing.  
She nodded.

He could understand that, she was probably being very much afraid and in pain, as two ferals showed extreme violence in front of her.  
Though she chose to solve the problem with more violence, shooting the two, rather than just run away even though she had considered it at first. Fighting against her instincts... Hank could understand the struggle with those as he too sometimes had difficulties to calm his inner beast.  
Though Anna's instincts seemed to want to keep her safe by running away, not by getting to be a part of a conflict.

She seemed commonly to have... Disparaging attitude towards her less aggressive animal like instincts.

"When you and Logan were approaching the airplane", he started, pondering how to form his question. "Was it same as in the forest? You thought one thing, but as your stress increased, as you felt more anxious, you decided to do the other? React in attacking manner?"  
"…I... guess so? I'm not sure about the attacking though. I did felt guiltiness, but I knew going back into the forest would be bad, because Logan told me he would be pissed off."  
"…The other one?" it was hard to talk about person without really using the name, but it would be like this for now.  
She nodded.  
"But I still wanted to go back. He... I thought about that he maybe would be in a lot of pain-"  
At this comment, Hank unwittingly sneered. Personally, Sabretooth deserved to suffer every kind of pain. Even more than that.  
"-and he was alone and he had come for me when I had been in a same situation."  
"…Really?"  
Sabretooth had saved her? Not unthinkable, if he wanted to keep her alive for his own twisted desires.

But the curious side, intrigued by the small possibility of the feral mate thing, wondered that what _if_ Sabretooth had saved Anna because of less vicious reasons? Ridiculous and very unlikely, but-

"I... Messed up things... In my village. Badly", Anna explained. The machines showed a spike on her levels. Nothing alarming.  
However, Hank asked the next: "What did you do then?"  
"I me- Messed up- Up everything. Acted wi- Wi- Without thinking", she confessed, with closing hands.  
The machine showed more spikes. Becoming more frequent.  
Hank hurried to calm her.  
"Anna, take a breath."  
"Ye- Yeah", she nodded, stuttered and took a deep breath.  
Then tried to continue.  
"I-" she took another deep breath. "I knew… That I was making mistake, a big one, but I couldn't stop myself. A good predator waits for opportunity, than just blindly attacks, I knew this but... I wanted to murder him, for killing her. I couldn't save mother, but I should had been strong enough to protect-"

Anna lowered her gaze to the floor, hunching forward.  
"I was supposed to protect Sarah. I know I was strong enough, if I just had- I could have done _something_ ", Anna spat.  
"She didn't deserve to die. Not like that. Neither one. I sh- Should had- I was-"  
A cry broke from the woman who took a deep breath as her hands gripped onto her knees.

Looking at the woman, who usually tried to act collected and aware of her surroundings, caving in as she forced herself to tell things, made Hank feel a lot of sympathy towards her.  
He let her take her time, listening to her.

"And... When Joseph tried to stop me, I wanted him out of the way. In any way possible. I was angry at him. At everyone. They never did _nothing_. Not when father was alive and not when Sarah was... Hit by that **fucker**!"  
Anna's voice turned angrier and angrier, her eyes full of raw emotions glancing up to Hank.

"But when _I_ wanted justice, do what had to be done, I was the monster? I was the one to be hunted down, and not some sicko who ate humans and treated his kid like a lowlife?! I'm not good enough!? I have no value?! _Who the fuck they thought they were to judge me_!? I kept threats away, and the one time I want to be selfish, **I** have to hide and run?!"

Anna lowered her crying face, gasping, as the machines showed her obvious high stress.  
And then suddenly they throb considerably, Hank frowning at them.

"…But... He came", Anna said quietly. "I tried to kill him, and he wouldn't die. He just _kept coming back_. To... Me, I guess. He kept that freaking window open."  
She snorted.  
"...But then he actually left. And things just went wrong, I did stupid. He never judged me but… He… He's so arrogant and bossy, makes a lot of stupid puns. And acts like a wretched cat but he is…"

The woman took a shaky breath, wiping her tears and collecting herself, leaving Hank with more questions and worries. Sabretooth was what? Had she really pictured him with humor in her voice?

"...What happened at the plane, happened before. But usually me just… Freezing unless I broke from it. But… When we were together and- I, I was overwhelmed. By something. It was so odd and it scared me, it wasn't anything familiar. But I couldn't stop from... With him, in the... Shower. I just kinda acted against myself and my mind was in half… I was thinking and acting in conflicting manner… I was scared. Shit. I was thinking my parents. And I knew I should have left him. Keep trying to escape and fight. But I didn't want to. I didn't know what was happening. He got angry and I didn't know what I wanted. It was so scary and odd that I..."

Anna was quiet for a moment, before asking quietly.  
"Would that kind of behavior be cause of the mate thing? Or just me?"

It could have been because of many things, Hank thought sadly. And thinking with horror as she had just told, how Sabretooth had used her. And yet she had said she had not been mistreated by him.

Anna was… How would Hank say it… Anna was deeply hurt one? Traumatized and unhealed.  
She had paranoid thoughts, she felt threatened all the time and the vision of herself was distorted.  
And trying not to suffer from those problems, she has collected more problems on top of each other until it was like a swaying tower of dishes.  
Waiting for the last cup to be placed on top and then it would all collapse and shatter down.

...As this was the truth, it would maybe be impossible to decide was Anna's disorders towards Sabretooth from some mental problems or from the so-called mate thing that hasn't even been proven. Most likely, the answer was the first one.  
It was a bit of a let down.  
Though, thinking the possibility of Sabretooth convincing Anna being his mate was-

"Don't pity me, Hank."

* * *

She **really** didn't like that look.  
She didn't want anyone to pity her.  
"I... Like you. Respect", despite being a mutant feral, Hank was very calm and logical person which Anna appreciated greatly, "And I don't want that to change."  
"I do not pity you", the furred man answered matter-of-factly, earning skeptical look from her.  
"I'm just sorry you had to suffer so many horrible things, as a child and as a adult. Things that clearly affect you strongly in the present."

He wasn't wrong.  
But it still stung, hearing someone else saying it. It somehow... Made everything just sadder. That she had been living through that kind of childhood and life.  
But without that, she wouldn't be as strong as she was. She probably would be-  
Anna heard one of the machines peep, seeing Hank's glance. Were these machines even telling anything helpful?  
"What is your conclusion, for now, doctor?"

It was quiet between the two for a while, and every second Anna started to get nervous. Irritated. Regretting for asking Hank's help and telling him things that-  
Wait.  
A realization of what she had said a moment ago. Something bad.

Had she told Hank... Hinted... About the murders. Hadn't she? Given a hint?  
Something about keeping the potential threats away?  
As the machines started to make more intense noise, Anna started taking the stupid things off, ignoring Hank who tried to stop her. He didn't intervene strongly as she kept taking the things off. He just turned off the machines and Anna was glad for that.  
And scared of what the man was now thinking.

"I think", Hank started, and Anna stared at him. Heart thundering. How stupid she had been, that she had hinted to Hank about killing and now-

"That you do need a lot of help, and I believe we can provide that for you. It will be a long process. And what comes for the mate thing, and this other person… I think it is not what we thought about. Not a mate thing. Just some… A strong cognitive phenomenon that feeds itself from your traumas. I'm sure that with time you'll get over it. Sabretooth can't come here, we keep everyone safe in here. So you don't need to worry about him."

Anna blinked while staring.  
The relief came slowly and Anna felt she could move, breath a lot more calmly as Hank looked at her. He not showing any kind of disgust nor judging. No realization of what she had said.

However, Anna was not satisfied with the answer about the mate thing. She had wished some clear answers.  
To know was her feelings and thoughts towards Victor normal or something to be cautious of. Maybe Hank could have made something, a medicine, for her and Victor?  
...Thinking him caused strong feelings to stir.  
Worry was one of the feelings, Anna wondering was Victor still there in the forest. Was he still in pain? How much? Would he be okay?

"And what do you think about my freezing states, like what happened at the plane?" she tried to keep Hank and herself distracted.  
Hank seemed to think about it carefully, as she observed him.

"Well, I can theories that, that considering your mutation and mentality, and what has been theorized, I would say it is a feral thing."  
Hank started to move things, reading the machines to collect their data.

"Some ferals can be more animalistic than others, as we have already discussed. Some have the mentality of a feral and others are more human.  
But with stronger, primitive instincts, it can be possible that a feral person will suffer in a mental… Almost like a separated personality, but not exactly like that. After all, humans are strongly feeling and yet very intelligent animals.  
So of course, we sometimes great complexity with what we want and what we need, instincts and logic, how we think and how we feel. I think your more animal like side collides with your human thinking, and so causes this locking mechanism in you. Your animal side sees safety at fleeing as your more human side wants to act the opposite, confront the conflict.  
So, when you are strongly in conflict with yourself, your body ignores your more human mind and tries to protect itself by doing what your instincts want. Like going into automaton."

He turned towards her.  
"Did I explain it too difficultly?" Hank asked but Anna shook her head.  
"No, I'm just thinking, that's all. Thank you, Hank. I'm sorry for the trouble."  
"It is all right Anna. We have dealt with a lot of troubled people, who have powers to destroy cities and planets. With mutations, it is just a little bit harder to deal with psychical difficulties."  
Anna nodded, still looking closely at the feral man, if he showed any signs of hiding something. She was still worried that he knew. Or would remember and then know.  
The feral woman criticized her stupidity in the moment of weakness.  
Now she needed to think what to do, if Hank would figure it out...

"How was the talk?" Logan asked while bringing food on a tray into the cell.  
They still kept Anna in the glass cell and oddly enough, she liked it.  
Considering this place is mainly a school for mutants, which means there's a lot of them out there, she was not eager to get out from the underground. Just thinking about being constantly surrounded by mutants made her prefer this more quiet place.  
Even if everyone said she was safe in this place, strong part of Anna was not agreeing.  
Plus, staying down here in isolation gave her a lot of time to think and calm down, processing things.  
Anna felt that she had grown a bit stronger, physically and mentally, while staying in the isolation.  
She didn't even see hallucinations anymore.  
Though she... Kinda missed hearing his voice...

"Better this time, I guess", she got up from the bed and took the tray.  
"How is it going up there?"  
"Same as usual", Logan answered, dragging in a chair for her to sit on. Anna however just sat down on the floor, cross-legged, and started eating.  
So he took the seat instead.  
"Pups causing trouble with their hormones and powers. Some idiot trying to take over the world, again. X-men needing to take care of things and yadda yadda. Nothing unusual."  
"And you made it sound easy to be a gym teacher. No wonder you take long vacations."  
"Yeah, staying here too long and I wanna gun myself to have even just couple of minutes of sweet silence..."  
Anna watched with amusement as Logan noticed what he said and looked at her deeply worried.  
But she wasn't bothered.

"If you need someone to knock your lights out, you can always ask. I'm good at it, either by kicking or shooting."  
"Yeah, I doubt", Logan's smirk returned. "Metalhead, remember? I would only get short naps."  
"Then I'll take a drill and put a dynamite in? I can figure it out, just give me some time, and tools."

They chuckled as she continued eating the food.

"…You know", he started and she looked at him.  
"You can come up and eat with other people? Or just with me? Or be outside if you want?"  
"No. For now I'm satisfied with this."  
"With white walls, one bed, needing to ask to use the toilet and everyone seeing you all the time?"  
"Doesn't bother, except the spying. And not having a bathroom here. But I'm actually a minimalist. All those stuff in my home was… Sarah's doing."  
"The overstuffed bed too?"  
"Oh no, that was **all** me. Nothing beats up a nice, soft and biiig bed that you can just lay in."  
"Hrm, we can't bring one down here, but…"  
"…Yeah?"

"...Nothing", he dismissed and she nodded, eating before Logan added: "But if you get sick of being here, you do know you can walk freely outside?"  
"I did like that small forest you had at the back there. Could take walks there"  
"Just tell one of us, so we'll make sure the training machines are off."  
"Okay. Actually... It would be fun to test those sometimes?"  
A smirk grew on Logan's face.

Anna blinked, disturbed for a second.  
She had never looked closely and observed siblings, but it was well known that siblings do share some similarities. And Logan's smile did have some... Resemblances with Victor.

"We can test those things sometime, have a bit of a race?"  
"Can we?"  
"Sure. Though I would need to go easy on you. I have the home field advantage", Logan smugly said while placing hands behind his head.  
"Cocky bastard..."  
"What was that?"  
"That it sounds really fun, _Wolfie_ ", she said extra peppy, both ferals smirking at each other.

"Sure thing _Annabelle_. Can't wait..."


	7. Two rogues

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Alarm clock going off at early morning evoke Wolverine from his slumber.  
Rising from under blankets to half-sitting position, he took his phone and silenced it. Dropping it to his bed the man yawned, partly growling, and stretched.

He should get up. Shower, get dressed and head down to eat breakfast before his classes. But…  
Looking down at Anna, as she nestled against him with an arm around his middle, Logan was between going and staying.  
Staying in the bed felt so tempting.  
First he had been annoyed with Anna bringing more blankets and pillows than his single bed needed. But after couple of nights, his mind changed as the bed felt now more like a nest, scented by them and being overly comfy. And never cold.

Deciding to rest just for more couple of minutes, Logan leaned back against pillow pile and thought about the last couple of weeks.

Though Anna still didn't social much with others, at least she had finally agreed to move from the basement cell into his room.  
That way he could keep close eye on her and make her meet people, like for example by bringing her into his classes.  
The arm around him tightened its grip for a moment, then loosened as Anna sighed, raising her sleepy head.

"Whattayashat?"  
"Heh... What?"  
"Why you sitting?"  
"Gotta get up."  
"Mhmh", the woman hummed as the feral man stroked her fuzzy short hair. Logan could not stop from grinning at her sleepy appearance, it being funny how soft and warm Anna was in bed, compared to what she was like outside of it.

And that troubled Logan, as others still weren't sure what to think about Anna. She hadn't done the best first impression, but she hadn't caused any trouble after arriving here. Her withdrawn attitude just made it difficult for them to read her.  
But they also pitied her for knowing that she had suffered as Sabretooth's victim. And she had just lost her home and her only closest people. And she had been tortured in a facility.  
They knew she had reasons to act like she was acting.  
Fortunately, Hank was helping her with talking sessions, saying she had many problems that needed long time treating, but he was also saying she was not a lost cause. She just needed time and support.

Then there was the trial at next month, Ororo wanting to take care of it as soon as possible. The police were looking for Anna and the kids at School were gossiping about it, some wondering where they in danger with her.

"Maybe you should- Should go", Anna yawned widely, though tightened her hold onto him. "The kids need their P.E. teacher."  
"They'll be just happy to skip the class", Logan huffed.  
"Don't know, I would have liked your gym classes."  
"Especially the classes of touch ball?"  
He smiled as she giggled.  
"Best, game. Ever. I wanna play that again."  
"Sure, when I'm teaching the older kids."  
"Awesome. Now, go."  
"Don't wanna come this time?"  
"Nah. You're a good teacher, but I'm more of an evening student."  
"More like a lazy ass", he mumbled.  
She lightly kicked him as he got up from the bed and he slapped her leg in response.

Guess Logan could ask Rogue to try spent time with Anna today. The two frails could get along.  
And maybe Rogue could help Anna, as the teenager also has encountered Sabretooth.

Women talked about things more openly together, than with men, right?

* * *

Long after Logan had gone to work, Anna finally woke up.  
Lazily she got out of the bed and went into the small bathroom.  
The sleeping medicine which Hank was giving was working very well, even better than what Sarah used to give.  
Now, very rarely, would Anna stay awake during nights, with odd thoughts. Nor saw unpleasant nightmares.  
Now Logan could stop worrying and being a mother hen.

Glancing at her reflection on the bathroom's mirror, Anna halted.

Staring at herself, she started feeling discomfort. Seeing the changes on her looks.  
Unnatural changes on the many scars which she had carried almost through all of her life. Them disappearing unevenly like eraser run over her skin.  
Some of the oldest scars had now disappeared from her face completely.  
And looking the rest of herself, like her dominant arm which had taken more damage in fights than her left one, was also less... Worn.

...It maybe was just scars. Many saw those undesirable, on themselves and on others. But for Anna, losing them, made enough difference in her look and her identity. Like loosing freckles for example, missing suddenly something that you felt as a part of making you.

The distress deepened.

Others probably saw her numerous scars disturbing but every one of these marks were precious to her. They had stories that she was proud of. She had the kinship of a prey animal, but these marks showed how many dangers she had survived through. And how many had died while pursuing her.  
Except one. His marks have already faded away.  
...Huffing Anna quickly shook the forming thought away.

So her old scars were fading. Her appearance was changing into more like Logan's, unmarked and unworn.  
Anna thought about what Hank had told her, what the people in the lab had done to her. Using Logan's blood to enhance her healing ability, making it faster. She probably, most likely, would be as immortal as Logan. Or at least harder to kill.  
Time will tell.

Guess Anna _should be_ excited about this. She would have better chances to survive fights. She would be more durable, undying.  
But she was not happy, no.  
She was bitter.  
Her mind once again tried to turn into uncertainty, into fear in front of unknown of what she would come to be.  
She had thought about this whole thing, all the happenings, over and over again and mostly cried. When she was alone.

When no-one was around, she could freely feel self-pity, thinking how her life have become far more complex than she needed it to be. She wanting to just get back to the village, back into her room and pretend everything was the same. That those she needed or cared for wasn't dead and she was her normal self.  
Knowing her place in the world and her routines undisturbed.

Turning the shower on Anna turned the water even hotter.  
Rubbing her skin with hard strokes so that it turned red. She took even and sharp breaths, feeling the tension rising more and more with the swirling thoughts which she couldn't control.  
She was trying to keep herself calm but her confidence, the fire inside her, was very weak nowadays and it was frustrating. It felt like she could break from even one single wrong word or thought, needing to keep herself in check with the others all the time.

 _Immortality._

No, Anna shook her head, tears in her eyes.  
She thought about Logan and Victor, and what Victor had told to her.  
The endless times of dying but it never being the final. Things chancing around through centuries while you are the only thing staying the same.

Anna didn't want that kind of... Could you call it even a life?  
If there's no end, does anything have any meaning then?  
You staying the same, alive, longer than anything or anyone else? How lonesome and absolutely maddening would that be after how many years? How did Victor and Logan live with that kind of curse?  
It felt like Anna's freedom and right to end her time as a living thing, had been taken away. The control was now at someone else's, invisible entity's hands.

Then, suddenly a weird but a scary thought surfaced: what if father would have been the same, he not dying from the stab wound?  
Anna most likely would still be in that cottage with father. Still living with constant pressure and fear.  
...Maybe in the same position as her mother had been in that cellar.

She would have never escaped from it.  
She would have never met Sarah.

Anna would have never learned of the feeling when she could take control of herself, her surroundings, her life and her actions.  
She would have never met Logan. Nor Victor.

The water was turned off and as the hot water stopped, the coldness crept onto the steaming skin.

Taking a towel and wiping her face with it, Anna sighed heavily.  
It was hard, avoiding from thinking and speaking about Victor. Especially in other than disliking manner to others, when knowing what everyone else thought about him. And Anna probably should also feel like them.  
But, she couldn't. She could try, but...

These feelings inside of her were not normal, they were uncontrollable. They were alien and it was... Scary.  
Not a moment did go by when he wouldn't be in the back of her mind. A hint of guiltiness lingering. And not just that but also pure worry. And fondness and longing. Thinking how with him she would feel much more-  
Was Victor still out there, in the woods, wounded? Was he in how much pain? She shouldn't had shot him, not in the head.  
Though where would she be now, if not here without him?

Anna wanted to go to find Victor, just to make sure he was okay. That the bullet blasting his brains hadn't done any lasting damage.  
He didn't deserve that, she had decided. Even if he had thrown Logan at her.  
She really hadn't want to actually hurt him like that, and it was a weird thing to admit for so many reasons: she had been so eager to kill Victor when they had met. He tried to torture and kill her. He was not a good person, not like the X-men, far from it.

Drying herself while walking out of the bathroom Anna looked at a pile on Logan's desk.  
In the pile there was her notebook, given by Hank, and two files.  
One was thin and other one was thick.  
She was not sure why exactly Logan had given the thicker file to her.  
Didn't Logan believe she was traumatized? Or maybe they were suspecting her, knew what she was thinking and so were trying to proof how Victor, Sabretooth, was a criminal who was to be despised?

In the file, heavily censored from certain classified details, was information about Victor.  
Bad things he has done, his crime record, connections to criminal factions, his many victims et cetera.  
It probably was just a fraction of his doings, as the list didn't date back to the years which Victor had told stories about.  
Nonetheless, he has been very productive during his long life. He was not some random feral, but a real, well-known criminal by many serious law enforcement.  
A real super villain, like in comics and movies, his crimes worse than unpaid parking tickets... Murders, blackmailing, terrorist acts, rapes, kidnappings...

...And, even if Anna didn't agree with everything Victor had done... She still didn't feel like she probably should. She didn't feel this deep disgust, hate nor horror that she probably should be feeling while reading of his doings.  
Mostly the file saddened her.  
And not for the right reasons, she understood this fact.

That Anna didn't feel disturbed by his crimes, made her own mind and sanity questionable for others. Because, a normal person would be horrified or angry towards Victor, right? Not reasoning his actions or just not seeing those things as bad as everyone else thought.  
This fact made Anna feel more separated from others, more alien. And she was worried, that if others would know, bad things would happen to her.

And secondly, comparing the two files and their contents made Anna feel... Very small.

The second, thinner file was hers, having copies of what police had about her, all the official information. It was funny, reading text about herself in such formal, labeling tone.  
And as there was **so** **little** information of herself.  
Her birthday was unknown, estimated by her physical appearance and what she and other villagers had told. Her parents...  
There was only information about her father.  
And she found Ray's past interesting as he never much told about it.

Father had been a local, lived in the village's area from the start. The cottage and a large chunk of forest around it had been in father's family for generations.  
Ray had lost his mother at a young age, in a work accident at docks.  
His father had disappeared not long after that during a hunting trip. Then found dead with self-induced gun wound.  
Ray became an orphan after that. He mostly lived by himself and worked as a fisherman before secluding himself into the forest when coming of age.  
After that, there's nothing else than notifications when he had died, killed by his only descendant.

About Anna's mother, there was nothing. Just marked as an unknown person.

There also was none formal information about Anna as Joseph's adopted child. He never officially adopter her, not in paper. Gary was the only known relative of his.  
Even if she tried to deny it, Anna was kinda hurt that Joseph hadn't actually in formal manner taken her as part of the family.  
Not making sure that she had a place in the society at paper. There was not even proof about her being an employee at the bar.  
It made her wonder, that what she had been to Joseph then?  
Why he had given so much to her, a place to live, a job, skills to hone and setting her rules to follow...

All in all, without the villagers' testimonies and the DNA test, linking Anna to Ray Boucher, there would be no proof of who Anna was or that she even was existing.  
She had no identity at papers before all of this, and she was not sure how to feel about it...

But now she most likely would be forced into the modern society, either as a free citizen or as a convict, placed in a prison designed for mutants.  
Either way, the feeling of not having a clear role nor place anymore was unsettling.

Falling onto the bed, Anna was feeling nauseous.  
So much had and was happening, changing her life from a simple village life -though as a serial killer- into a complex, unknown and odd life she was not used to. The pressure of it all was oppressive, every time she tried to think about it.  
Her head hurt.  
Anna whimpered, feeling again tears forming. A great wave of anxiety rose inside her, her animal side frightened but not knowing what to do. Could she run from these big changes? Could she fight against them in anyway?  
She didn't want this, any of this. She wanted things back to normal, like they were before Sarah's death.

This danger, or dangers, created by the changes were not visible to her. She couldn't see them, she couldn't stalk them and erase them like she did all to those who had come after her in the past. She had no knowledge nor skills to handle something like this. This enemy driving her into a corner was a whole system, consisting from different groups that she couldn't comprehend.

Feeling now even more, strongly, nauseous Anna curled up in the bed. She was feeling lightheaded and panic was hammering her heart.  
"St- Stop... Just... Calm."  
She should... Just stay still and wait for it go away. Let her mind calm on its own even though she hated these fits and wanted them to just stop immediately.  
Hopefully no-one would come during this. She didn't know how she would react, if that would happen.  
But it was also bad to be all alone with these fits.

In the middle of the storm inside her mind, Anna thought a familiar, reassuring presence on the bed with her.  
Holding his clawed hand against her head, purring to her.

But it wasn't real, just an imagination. It didn't talk to her and she couldn't see it. Only feel.  
But it still helped her somewhat.

* * *

The teenager was not excited of what Logan had asked her to do.

The strange woman, Anna, didn't seem like a warm person. She clearly avoided the rest of them.  
When she came to the School, the students had not been told much, only that she was Logan's friend and was here seeking for refugee. Of course they had all speculated why she was here. The most popular one was her being another rare or powerful mutant.  
After all, she was very rugged looking, had a very close relationship to Logan and spent a lot of time with Hank at the basement.  
And she was in the news as a suspect for massacre.

Marie was not sure what to thought about Anna. The woman's relationship to Logan, she sleeping in his room, walking around the School with him... The teenager felt jealousy.

But now Marie knew more about Anna. That the woman's mutation had not been the reason for the refugee, to Marie's surprise.  
Logan's confession of Anna's reason, or part of it, being here had explained some things. The woman's isolation and tense attitude.  
Marie was just not sure how much she could help the woman.  
Rogue had been captured by Sabretooth, true, but the man had been under Magneto's commands back then. No-one had been allowed to harm her.  
But still, being captured by Sabretooth had been...  
And he had abused Anna for months...

It made more sense why the woman was like she was, and hung around Logan most of the time. If there was someone who could protect you, it would be him.

Maybe Marie wasn't confident of being able to help this woman, but she could try. Show that there was nothing to be afraid of in the School, even if there had been couple of incidents... But not for the couple of months now.  
The teenager firmly knocked on the door of Logan's room.

Standing there she then waited but the door did not open. Instead, there was question through it.  
"Who's there?"  
"Oh, it's- Hi, I'm Marie? Logan's friend? He introduced us?" the girl greeted through the door, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the situation.  
This time the door opened, enough so that she could see the woman. Lifting her face upwards, the Southern girl pulled a smile onto her face.  
"Hi."

"...Hello", the woman greeted, opened the door more and kept looking at her with doubtful face. "Is there something wrong?"  
"No. Actually", Marie decided not to fake suddenly being interested to spent time with Anna. Just tell the truth to the taller, intimidating woman.  
"Logan sent me. He asked me to come to see you and offer some company. Ask to walk outside or something, if you're interested?"

She tried to see if Anna was hinting anything at all, but the lacking of facial expression was unnerving.

"...Okay. Just a moment", the woman answered and closed the door in front of Marie.

The teenager's smile faltered but kept on, wondering was this gonna be one of the most awkward moments in her life. But she was trying to be hopeful because it could be that Anna was just shy and actually was a nice person when getting known to.  
After all, if she was Logan's... Friend, she couldn't be that bad.  
Despite of her cold and rude act, she could actually be a cool person?


	8. Unfeeling one

...I am not sure about this chapter at all. I tried to make it somewhat logical and believable. I really hope I just didn't jump the shark. If I already haven't.

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Finally the woman was outside of Logan's room. But Marie was not sure where they should go from there.

It was over midday and she didn't have anymore classes, so they had the rest of the day to talk. Hands awkwardly moving on her sides the teenager proposed a first thing that came into her mind.  
"We could... Go walking? To the outside, if you want?"  
At this time of day there should be places where they could be without someone disturbing them and they still wouldn't be _alone_ together.  
"Okay. Can we go through the kitchen though?"  
"Yeah, sure."

It was a quiet walk down to the kitchen.  
The woman, Anna, didn't talk to her more than was needed. Didn't try to start conversation and Marie was quietly urging herself to speak. But what was she suppose to say? She couldn't just go straight to the point, about Sabretooth.  
Anna most likely didn't want to talk to a stranger about being violated by that guy!  
And Marie wasn't sure did she want to listen something like that...  
Glancing to her side and upwards Marie noticed Anna looking back at her as they walked. Both of them looked immediately straight ahead.

"...This way, downstairs. Or, you know already where the kitchen is, right?"  
"Yes, I do. You want me to go alone and then come back?"  
"No no, just asking."  
"Okay."

Then they arrived to the kitchen.

There was some Rogue's friends hanging out, and she waved to them hoping she could go to them instead. But she couldn't. Glancing, the teenager saw the woman taking couple of fruits and vegetables and a bottle of water, stuffing them into her hoodie's pocket. Then she took a piece of bread.

"We can go now."  
"Yeah? Good, well, follow me. To outside. Heh."

Outside, the winter was long gone but it still wasn't summer yet.  
Snow had melted away completely, leaving the ground cold, soft and wet. But the sun shined warmly through thin layer of clouds.  
Rogue led to the front of the building where there was no-one at the moment. They weren't completely alone though: a group of teenagers was playing something at further away on the wide yard.  
Marie hopped to sit on marble railing of the porch, while Anna stopped to stand in front of her.

"So? What is it that you need to talk me about?" the woman asked while tearing a piece of bread.  
Marie hesitated, pulling a hoodie over her head while looking at Anna.  
Should she really just straight up ask or maybe speak something else for a bit?  
"Logan just asked me to spent time with you", she shrugged. "He's worried."  
The woman sneered, swallowing her food.  
"Yeah, I thought so. Is he like that to everyone?"  
"Not to everyone. Just to some."  
At least he was like that towards Marie, which the girl appreciated. A lot.  
He was kinda the first mutant she met, and he saved her, many times. Didn't throw her out of his vehicle. Protected her. He doesn't act so carefully when interacting with her in touching manner.  
Logan is a really good guy, so Marie wished Anna was being good to him. Or were they- Well the woman was sleeping in his room so-  
Marie really wanted to ask about it, their relationship.  
And so she did.

"Are you and Logan together?"  
She didn't need to wait with stilled heart, as the woman answered right away.  
"No, we are just friends."

...So like a friends that- Do things, or like friends friends?  
Anna was staring back at her, Marie noticed. And felt a flush of greater nervousness when asked.  
"Are you interested in him?"  
"N- No! I don't. Not!"  
"Okay."  
Then moment of more silence, before Marie tried to create conversation.

"How you liking the School?"  
"It's big."  
She hummed.  
"Yeah, it is. I used to get lost all the time during my first weeks here", she gave a smile but not getting it back from Anna, who just looked at her while eating the bread silently.

The woman has a lot of scars on her face, making the teenager wonder where they all had come from. Most of them seemed old.

"What is your power?" the woman suddenly asked.  
"What?"  
"Your mutation?", Anna asked and Rogue felt uncomfortable in a different way now. The teenager placed her covered hands onto her lap, fingers clenching into fists. For safety reasons it would be the best to tell. So there won't be any unfortunate accidents, even though she was being careful. Anna would eventually hear it from someone else.  
Still, part of Marie didn't want to talk about it. Fearing the reaction.  
"...You don't have to tell."  
"No, it's okay. You- It's better that you know, for your own safety."

For the first time Rogue saw a clear, identifiable emotion as Anna looked at her with curiosity. And caution.

Marie started explaining, her gaze falling onto her hands now and then.

"I can... Observe others, kinda. With a bare touch. Their memories, skills, powers, all that. And it, observing, hurts them. But it needs to be a bare touch, so with these gloves", she raised her hands for Anna to see.  
"There shouldn't be that danger. Though any bare touch is enough."  
Any bare touch. And even with gloves Marie still hesitated to interact with others and others with her.  
There still had been accidents after she became a student here.

"That's an impressive ability."  
Confused, Marie lifted her gaze and stared. Processing what the woman had said while looking at her like that.  
Did Anna try to make her feel better or something?  
"N- No, no it's not."  
"It is", Anna argued.  
"Really, it's not. I hurt people if I touch them."  
"That's even better", the woman kept on, finished her bread and took next a carrot out of her pocket. She pointed Marie with the vegetable.  
"You can at the same time hurt your attacker and use their powers against them. Know how they think and what are their secrets. Sounds to me like a really good power for defense and counterattack."  
The calm and matter-of-factly way Anna spoke about Marie's power reminded her how that Magneto guy had spoke. How Marie's powers were a gift and how they would help their people with her sacrifice by letting-  
"It is not a good power for **me** ", she emphasized.  
The teenager jumped down and glared at the woman.  
"I can't control it. I touch _anyone,_ I hurt them. Did I want it or not", she tried to make the problem understandable.

"...Fine, if that's how you feel."

The teenager felt her face heat up.

Rouge can't touch anyone with her bare touch or she would risk it, kill them if she wasn't extra careful! She couldn't enjoy of anyone's touch.  
She couldn't share intimacy with anyone, not with Bobby who in the end left her because of it. Others avoided from touching her even if Marie was completely covered. She felt always alienated because of it, like inside of a visible bubble.  
She wanted to touch others, she wanted to feel a human touch without hurting them, without them fearing her.  
Hug without hesitation or just able to make a simple hand shake.

The power was a curse to Rouge, taking the normal life from her, and this woman was acting like she was a whining kid!

* * *

Anna believed she at least partly understood the problem Rouge had with not able to touch anyone.

As a child, for long time, Anna had difficulties with touching.  
It was too intimate and she always waited it to have some malevolent meaning behind it. With time and help, especially from Sarah, Anna learned to accept touches and offer them back to those who she trusted with.  
To her, touching someone with kindness and without caution was a strong message.  
So, unable to do that like in Rouge's case, it did sound actually sad...

But, considering how much benefits Rouge's power gave in battles, Anna still thought it as good and powerful mutation.  
Just how many powers could you observe, and hold them for how long? You could be invincible with it, if using it smartly.  
Needing just a bare touch, damaging while taking.  
If Anna would have that kind of power, she could easily annihilate opponents more powerful than her. And learn what her opponents have learned, copy their skills and use their powers. She could be anything she wanted, not needing to hesitate and plan ahead so much as how low leveled mutant she is.

Though, how good and how fast you can use the taken powers? And needing a bare touch meant, if wanting the full potential, to use very little cloth. Which obliged to suffer the surrounding elements.  
And when not using the ability, she would need a good pair of gloves that wouldn't make the grip clumsy.  
There certainly was a lot of pros, but the cons... Not able to touch someone with bare skin without hurting them...  
How much would Anna miss the touch of others?

Looking at the upset teenager, Anna suddenly wondered would she get into trouble for making Rouge upset.

"I apologize Marie. I didn't mean to upset you", she tried to calm the teenager. "If you want to leave, I don't say anything to Logan?"  
The girl didn't leave. Instead the girl said while looking down, with crossed arms.  
"No, he asked me to talk with to you."  
Anna hoped they would get to the real thing now. She really didn't think Logan would try to push her to make friends with children, so she had suspected something going on with this girl suddenly asking for a walk and Logan being behind it.

"He asked, that, if you want to, talk about, well... Okay, about Sabretooth. Because, I also was captured by him one time."  
It took a moment for Anna to speak, wanting to ask more than she let out, a torrent of questions right behind her lips.  
"He captured you? Why?"  
It caused uncomfortable feeling as she wondered what Victor had wanted with a kid.

"He captured me for another mutant, to use my power to- It's a long story."

Small relief. Anna put the untouched carrot back into her hoodie's pocket.  
So she was talking to one of his victims. She was not sure how to feel about it, she watching Marie with different interest now.  
"Did he hurt you?"  
"No. Not much. Actually... No never mind."  
"You can tell me?"  
"Well... I... Kinda think he kinda made me observe some of his healing power, before I was used in this machine that almost killed me. Without him, and Logan, I wouldn't have made through it."  
"He- So Victor helped you?" Anna questioned, ignoring the girl's slight wondering look and discomfort as they kept talking about the topic.  
"Kinda. Maybe, accidentally? Luckily I was knocked unconscious soon after that, so I didn't have to experience much of his... Mind."  
Marie shuttered and Anna thought how the bastard was not maybe a complete bastard after all.  
Though had he done it because of orders or because of something else?  
After all, he had saved Anna couple of times, although maybe for different reasons.  
"Did he ever call you... His mate?"  
The mix of confusion and dislike was obvious on the girl.  
"No? He just mostly growled and was quiet and just overly creepy."  
Anna felt a gush of laugh almost escaping. The puss actually being _quiet_? No jokes nor threats? What, had he been _paid_ not to talk while working to this other mutant?

While wondering that, Anna noticed herself trying instinctively to keep from smiling.  
She was feeling kinda giddy. It was weird. Especially when the girl clearly was still feeling uncomfortable of the kidnapping.  
Despite of Rouge's clear discomfort, Anna asked next: "Do you want to talk about it? I can listen, if you want to?"  
And after small hesitation, the girl told.

Anna followed Rouge's story with interest, as it gave her a better understanding of the mutants' position in society outside of the School.  
How suddenly turning out to be one was a life changing, filled with fear for own safety.  
In the village, as the only undetectable mutant there, the feral woman had only encountered unfairness because of her father and her past. She only witnessed the discrimination towards mutants when villagers gossiped about what was in the news or when a mutant was visiting the village.

For certain reasons, Anna had never given much thought towards it.  
She had never felt other mutants as _her_ people, only as potential threats that she didn't want into her territory.

But now, as she was a somewhat known mutant because of the massacre case, she should start ready herself towards the outside world. Understand what to anticipate from a mutant's viewpoint like Rouge's.

But the things that caught Anna's attention the most were when Marie would mention either Logan or Victor. It was nice to know that Logan had immediately taken this girl under his wing, as expected. He seems first like a rough guy, with this lonesome attitude, but he acts immediately when someone needs help.  
Rouge was lucky to sneak into his vehicle, instead of someone else's.

When Victor was mentioned the first time, and Anna's brows rose up.  
He used to have a long hair? It was unexpected thing, and Anna tried to imagine him with it. She has to ask him about it when-  
Probably she won't have the change to. At least for a long time, as the X-men had promised they wouldn't let him near her.  
As long as she stayed with them.  
And even if she would meet Victor, he surely would still be pretty pissed off about the gunshot. Probably wouldn't be much of a friendly conversation that one.

Hearing out the rest of Rouge's story and after some other questions, Anna asked then about Rouge's family life.  
"Have you been in contact with your parents then, after becoming a student here?"  
The girl's reaction gave a hint beforehand, she clearly not ready for that subject.  
"Them? Well, somewhat. I call to them, now and then."  
"They accept you being a mutant?" she asked, taking out the carrot and started eating it.  
"We really don't talk about it. There was this... A cure couple of years back, and it turned me back to normal. For some time... And things were better between us then. Until, I... Almost..."  
The girl took a deep breath.  
"The cure didn't last. Suddenly my powers went on and my mom ended into hospital, staying in a coma for couple of weeks."

Anna didn't know what to say to that. Instead she focused to observe how the girl acted.

Marie impressively handled telling all these things to Anna, without breaking down though feeling clearly sad. Either Hank had helped her too, or Marie was more strong by mentally than Anna had given her credit for. After a minute of more silence, the girl changed the subject.

"So, um, yeah, I also have been abducted by Sabretooth. Welcome to the club, I guess?"  
The girl's whole awkwardness, trying to make a joke and giving a smile to her, cracked Anna up. She almost choked on a piece of the carrot.  
Maybe she could start liking this girl.

"Should we- Heh, should we have some kind of t-shirts then? With text _I was abducted by the Puss_?"  
Rouge, after a shock, started laughing with her, the two earning glances from other people in the yard.

After calming enough, Anna was asked with raised eyebrow.  
"You call Sabretooth the Puss?"  
"Why not, he's a big guy, he can take it. Also he's a bit of a dickhead. He broke into my apartment couple of times and always, _always_ left the window open. Like he didn't know nor cared how much does it costs to warm the place up or how cold it can be near a frigging ocean **during winter**."  
Taking a sharp bite from the carrot she mumbled: "It's almost like he really tries to act like a douche just for the kicks of it, or something- What?"

The girl was looking really weirdly at her.  
And understanding maybe why, Anna swallowed the half-chewed hard piece of carrot down.  
"I mean-"  
"You don't fear him?" was asked in surprised tone which made the feral woman dither.  
"N- No. I mean... He's not scary in the way I think is scary."  
"Then, what do you think is scary?"

"...Normal things?"  
Like powerlessness and unknown, changes out of her control.  
"You didn't feel threatened by Sabretooth at all?"

Putting away the half-eaten carrot, Anna took out the water bottle, answering while opening it.  
"No."

Not entirely true, but she didn't want to admit it to the kid.  
Not to tell, how Sabretooth had startled her when he had surprised her by not stepping into her trap, and instead attacked her through a wall.  
Or when he had come into her home, and into her bed.  
How he suddenly had been all nice, and things had went weird after that. His clear intention of torturing and murdering changing to something... Absurd.  
She hoped the bullet has turned Victor back into normal.  
Then she maybe could be less anxious about him.

As Anna was used to the fear of dying and feeling pain, Victor really couldn't intimidate her with those things.  
It was the new, uncontrollable and odd feelings which he caused in her that were actually frighting.

Pushing away the absurd, mixed feelings inside, Anna moved her attention to the observing Marie.

"Wanna hear how I got him tied onto my chair after he invaded into my home?" she asked, earning unsure look but consenting nod from the girl.

* * *

After the school day Logan returned to his room. Where Anna was writing on her notebook at his working table.  
He half-grunted his greeting, slumping down onto the overstuffed bed, sinking into the fluffiness.  
"Hi. Was it that bad today?"  
He grunted again, hearing her getting up and approaching. The bed jolted with creaking springs as she jumped on top of him, he giving a warning growl that quickly turned into a groan.  
Logan straightened his arms against the mattress as the woman on his back massaged his shoulders.

"How did it go with Rouge?" he asked.  
"As awkwardly as it could?"  
"Hmp. She said it went fine."  
Though, what the girl said, Anna didn't seem like the possible threat of Sabretooth disturbed her at all. And in the end, most of the conversation had been more about Rouge, the X-men and mutants' position in society.  
Maybe Anna would open to the girl more in the future.  
"Then I guess I didn't scare her completely. Or she's just that brave."  
Humming out a laugh the feral man turned around, placing his hands onto Anna's hips and keeping her on top of him. It was a pretty and welcoming sight while she smiled down at him.  
"I'm glad you like her."  
"She's an interesting kid. It's a pity her powers are difficult to control, otherwise she really could be a strong mutant."  
"Guess so", he trailed off as Anna took a gentle hold of one of his wrists.

Raising his hand in front of her, she asked in a gentle voice: "Can I see your claws?"

First raising an eyebrow Logan however complied, showing out three long metal blades. It hurt, always did, as metal covered bones pushed through skin of the back of his hand.

"...You really do like claws, huh", he wondered while watching Anna looking and touching curiously them.

He had always sensed Anna's interest towards them, when ever he had them out. But before she really hadn't asked him to show them, to be touched and looked at. Now, from time to time, she politely would do that and spent a long time examining them until she or he would get bored of it.  
Sometimes he could smell a slight arousal which in turn affected him, making these scenes... Interesting.

"I guess so", she lightly touched the skin at the bottom of one of the claws. The touch was kinda teasing to him. "What's the hardest thing you have cut?"

"Pretty much everything", he pulled his free hand behind his head. "There's really nothing that these pups can't slice to-"  
Anna slightly slide her index finger against one of the claws, immediately drawing out blood.  
"Hey!"  
Withdrawing claws away, Logan rose to sit and took a hold of Anna's hand.  
"Relax, it's a small cut. Look, no bleeding", she said.  
He still wasn't amused, looking closely at the finger and seeing that there was no bleeding anymore. Just one small red pearl of blood.  
"Don't do that again", he growled to the woman, cleaning the blood away with a swipe from his tongue.

The feral woman let out a small, short inhuman noise, that made both ferals tense.  
Looking at each other.  
A light rumble rose from Wolverine's throat, as he leaned towards the female.  
"Can I ask you something?"  
Blinking, halting, he answered positively.

"How do you... Handle your immortality?"  
The question being unexpected, Logan withdraw his head.  
"What do you mean?"  
He let Anna move away from his lap, the two of them now sitting opposite of each other.  
"Just wondered. It seems my healing ability hasn't normalized, yet, so... I'm curious how do you deal with that kind of thing."

It wasn't a topic he liked to think much, it being always depressing.

"I just accept it, pushing it to the background."  
"Kinda not paying much mind to it?"  
"Yeah, no sense in dwelling about it. Just living with one day at a time usually is the best way to me."  
"Okay."  
"How you dealing with it?"

There was a swift, strong scent of sadness coming from her before it vanished into nothingness. Logan described it as snow, as tasteless and as cold, when Anna hid her feelings. And usually sadness was replaced by this prickly anger of hers, just like now.

"Still handling it. Still pissed. Still hoping this is just temporary."

As she wiped her left eye, Logan reached out and pet her head. She didn't evade him, keeping her face down though.  
Then letting him pull her into a hug, her arms circling his middle.  
She didn't let herself cry, so Logan just hoped that he could somehow comfort her even if just being like this.


	9. The beast is on the move

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

A young couple on vacation drove through a remote wilderness.  
The car's headlights brushed the empty roadway while the night sky was completely dark.  
As the husband rested, the wife listened the radio in low volume while steering the vehicle.  
But she slowed down and then completely stopped, when seeing something ahead, on the side of the road. While watching it with squinted eyes, the thing barely moved while the headlights illuminated it, and the wife turned to wake her husband.  
"Jerry, Jerry! There's something on the road."  
"Wh- Huh?"  
"Someone's lying on the road, see?"

The husband also saw the thing, which looked like a man. The stranger indeed laid on the side of the road, like he had dragged himself out of the woods before collapsing.  
"Call help Jennifer, I'll go see them."  
"Wait, let's just call and wait inside the car."  
"I need to check on them darling, just call the police."

Jerry got out and half-jogged to the stranger who still didn't move as he approached.  
The unmoving person was dirty, had torn cloths and some of the dirt looked like dried blood.  
"Hey buddy! You alive?" the man asked, nearing cautiously now.  
The stranger, a big man Jerry noticed now, let out unclear, silent sound that almost was... Something inhuman.

Still, Jerry crouched next to the man and carefully pulled them onto their back. He looked at the man who barely had his eyes open, looking towards him but not at him.  
"You really looked messed up", Jerry said while observing the stranger. "Don't worry buddy, we'll-"  
He noticed, that stranger's hand laying on their chest had these noticeable... Nails. Claws. Like a beast.

A freak.

Jerry startled away and immediately turned to run towards the car and Jennifer who was holding a phone.  
"It's a mutie, Jen! We-!"

Putting down the phone as Jerry suddenly had started running towards, shouting something, the woman saw as the stranger jumped on her husband from behind. The stranger, an animal, shred screaming Jerry as the headlights illuminated the scene.  
Horror paralyzing the human woman, Jennifer silently started sobbing with open, hand covered mouth.

When the creature, a humanoid, rose and started running towards, Jennifer finally snapped out of it and started to steer the car.  
The creature however, on all fours, was so fast it was like it appeared from nowhere suddenly on top of the hood.  
Now Jennifer screamed, before a large palm with claws crashed through the windshield and snapped her throat.

The woman now dead, the large beastlike man huffed and trembled, almost falling off from the vehicle.  
The mutant shook his head, and found strength to go down onto his feet.  
Opening the driver's door he threw the body out onto the road, and sat himself behind the wheel.  
He shut down the radio and sighed with relief as it was quiet now.

Sabretooth sat there for a long time, dozing off. Then again shaking his head, he tried to focus on the car's content. He smelled and found food from a bag on the backseats, devouring without chewing the couple's road snacks. After that he looked around some more, finding a newspaper. Looking the date he also noticed a headline about some trial being held in a few days, a mutant being suspected of a massacre.  
Sabretooth flipped to the page and started reading the article.

There was a bit unfocused picture of Anna, as she was entering a car in front of police station. He also recognized some X-men, and Jimmy, surrounding her.

Sabretooth's mouth turned into a snarl, already extended bloody claws ripping thin paper.  
Tearing the picture off he crumbled it into his ruined jacket's pocket, throwing rest of the paper away.  
A deep and rumbling growl sounded inside the vehicle.

After he checked through the dead humans for stuff, Victor took the car and started driving.

* * *

Anna once again was running from the thing that hunt her in the darkness.

Though this time the creature didn't just follow after her. It pursued to go past her, set in front of her, charging or jumping from aside.  
However the woman always in time took a sharp turn, barely missing the creature which sometimes yelled after her with a deafening, terrifying roar.

 **Can't flee forever!**

 **You are never save! You can't never hide!**

 **They will fail you!**

She wouldn't. She can't. It was too much, too scary, the instincts to run much stronger than the want to stop and confront. She didn't want to stop and get caught. Because if that happened, she knew she wouldn't win.

So she rather after long running yet again jumped into the dark abyss, leaving the threat behind.

Anna woke up with teary eyes and instinctively raised hand onto her mouth, silencing the panicked gasps as the nightmare left her shaken.  
Staying like that, trembling and staring into the room's darkness, Anna didn't wake up Logan who was hugging her with one arm.  
She had forgotten to take the sleeping medicine, immediately falling to sleep after long day helping Logan with his classes.  
Finally calming down, Anna rose up while reassuring the groggy man and went to the bathroom.  
In there, she washed her face, took the pill and collected herself some more.

...They were just dreams. Created by her stressed mind. She was just nervous of the upcoming trial. She just needed to get through that and, as others had convinced her, she would be seen as innocent. After that, she would decided what she will do and where to go.

But one thing was certain. After the trial, she wanted to know where Victor was.  
She needed to know.  
She had this pull in her chest that felt like getting worse, she wondering more and more. She had started again seeing sometimes the hallucination of Victor. Unfocused and blurry, like ghost. Just staring silently at her.

It was guilt. Certainly. She just needed to see him and get rid off of this feeling.  
Just hold on for a few more days, Anna promised to herself, as she got back to sleep into Logan's arms.  
This would be over soon, after the trial...

...The trial did not went well. At all.  
It had been a mess.

She had frozen.  
She wasn't proud of it.

As she was interrogated, she wanted to get up and punch that asshole prosecutor. But she couldn't. And so she had been stuck, not able to answer anything, keeping her mouth shut. Almost panicking in front of everybody there.

It had been degrading.

Her lawyer had then somehow made the judge to move the trial for another day.  
There had been an angry human crowd and nosy reporters in front of the courthouse, because of her. Anna had been taken through the backdoor to the car.  
She had been quiet through the whole ride, not listening what Logan, Hank, Ororo and the lawyer talked about. She couldn't focus nor answer to anything. Only replaying in her mind how she had just frozen there and not said anything.  
Someone had mentioned a stage fright but it sounded ridiculous to her.  
She had dealt with so much more scarier things, real and physical threats, but she was afraid to performance in front of a crowd? It didn't make sense to her.  
She couldn't be afraid of that kind of thing. She couldn't.

Anna felt furious, scared, confused and humiliated. She didn't want to do anything with anyone, didn't talk, avoided even Logan's touches and just sat down on the bed when he led her there. At some point, Logan had left the room, leaving her alone with her thinking.

In the next trial... Who can know what they'll know then? What if they find the bodies? There was always that chance.  
What if she was seen as guilty at the trial?  
Then the X-men won't be anymore on her side. They are good people, saving everyone and fighting for mutants and humans. For the greater good.  
They didn't like criminals.

...Well, Anna really hadn't actually thought she was going stay there. She couldn't even imagine about living here for the rest of her life, the School as her home.  
Too many mutants. Too little space for privacy. Too many possible threats.  
She always trying not to do or say anything that would make her seem in their eyes as... Someone who's unfit to be among others.

...What would Sarah say or do, if she was still alive and knew everything? The killings, all of them? Most likely she would be horrified. Angry just like all those humans outside of the courthouse, surely. Maybe she would have abandoned Anna, seen her as disturbed person, a mutie.

No, Anna couldn't stay at the School. She was grateful for all the help the X-men have given her, but she couldn't stay here anymore.  
The continue of the trial was at next week and before that, she needed to get away. Before things get worse.

This was a thing she felt like she couldn't fight against head on. Or trust at others' help. Almost like in that facility.

So now, again, she needed to help herself and run when still having the chance. Just needed to plan where she could go.


	10. Found you

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Standing in front of his class, Logan wrote onto the movable whiteboard of today's topic. Talking about the American Civil War and the way soldiers lived and died on battlefields in harsh environments, with restricted resources.  
In the back of his mind, he was worrying of Anna. She has been deeply depressed after the first trial, not doing much, or speaking even to Hank. She just wanted to stay in his room.

The case also didn't look good, and the next trial was going to be in four days...

Phone suddenly vibrating in his hip pocket, Logan halted and flipped it out.  
"No phones in-"  
"Shut it", he growled to a student, answering the call from Ororo.  
She didn't stall and immediately said in hurried, clear tone: "Sabretooth is pushing through our defenses and has broken into the School grounds. He's coming straight from northeast, I've called the others."  
"Roger."  
Shutting his phone the feral man barked a command for the students to lock the door and stay in the class, away from the windows and no-one is allowed outside nor inside.  
Running in the hallway to the nearest exit, he made a quick call, before putting the phone away.

Anger and protectiveness rose inside Wolverine.  
Sabretooth had the nerve to come here, into Logan's territory, and most likely to come to agonize Anna again.

But not this time.

* * *

Sitting on the bed, Anna tensed up and listened carefully before someone knocked on Logan room's door.  
"Anna? Logan sent me."  
Recognizing the voice, though still cautious, the woman walked to the door and listened more. Not hearing anyone else than Marie out there.  
More knocking, hurried ones.  
"Anna?"

She opened the door to see Rouge standing awkwardly there, the feral woman looking from the girl into the hallway. Since the alarm had been given, everything had gone unusually quiet.  
"What is going on, who's attacking?"  
"Ah, it's nothing, really. Just another random attack, teachers and others will take care of it", the teenager answered, taking a step away.  
"I was told to take you down to the holding cell though, so could you come with me?"  
Eyes narrowing Anna looked at the girl, asking: "Why?"  
"Because Logan told me to."  
But why?  
"Are others getting down there too?"  
"No", Marie said and added: "But he told me to take you there so please, can you come?"  
"No", Anna answered, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind. Staring down at the nervous teenager.  
"Tell me why he wants me to go there, Rouge?"

Something was off. The alarm had announced for everyone to stay in their rooms or classes and lock the doors, only following the protocol or the staff's instructions. Why would Logan want her to go somewhere else, than stay in his room?

"I don't know. He just told me to."  
"Are you sure it was Logan who told you to?"  
"Yes!"  
Suspicion increased, with a hunch.  
Why would Logan want Anna away from his room into a more secured place inside of School? Why wouldn't Rouge tell her who was attacking?  
"It's Sabretooth, isn't it Rouge?"

It was clear to see from the girl's reaction.  
"No, now-"

Anna evaded the teenager's covered hand, and took a step closer making the other take a step back.  
"It is Victor."  
"Anna, you can't fight-!"  
Anna wasn't going to wait, but she was yanked by her arm and seeing only a flash of bare hand, the feral woman instinctively side kicked the teenager.  
Rouge collapsed onto a wall and fell down.

For a moment Anna was worried, as she hadn't meant to kick too hard.  
She attempted to move towards the girl, but seeing Marie starting to get up, Anna didn't linger.  
Running on full speed she sharply turned in the hallway to the stairs, jumping the steps down and listened, navigating towards the fighting outside by sound.

She should not go towards the fight but away from it. That is common sense.  
She was supposed to stay away from Sabretooth, shouldn't she?

But she _wants_ to see him.  
If he was here, he wasn't dead nor laying hurt in the forest. Now he was fighting against X-men, so she needed- No, wanted to be there.

Anna cursed as the front doors wouldn't open, she starting to kick them. They shook but didn't take damage. Frustrated she took a small table, a falling vase shattering onto the floor.  
She was actually, weirdly, excited of knowing Victor being near, and now she really wanted to see him. There was no fear nor hesitation. No anger. Just... Excitement.  
Was that crazy? Actually happy to see Victor?  
Holding the table by its legs, Anna hit the furniture against one of the windows, seeing a faint crack forming on the surface as the furniture broke against it.

Did it after all matter so much if she was? Why should it be crazy?

She did not see anyone outside but she saw the sky flashing while hearing a familiar roar, tinted by pain.  
"Fucking break!" she yelled as she kicked the window, the crack getting bigger.  
Just a little bit more force.

It was her business did she want to see him or not. And she wanted to.

Anna jumped shoulder ahead against the window, the glass finally breaking.

She was not going to let them have him.  
He was hers to kill and vice versa.  
They made a promise, and that one she at least was gonna make him keep for her.

* * *

After being burned and electrocuted by lighting, Sabretooth still kept getting up.  
He didn't want to waste time and loose the trail, but with these ones constantly attacking, the beast man had no choice but to counterattack.  
Like a possessed rabid animal he didn't stay down but continued to heal, fight and push forward with every opportunity.

There was no clear strategy at Victor's movements, he being unpredictable and determined to advance rather than focusing on the attacking X-men.

Deep down he knew this was not wise, attacking straight at the School and then really not fighting back. He knew this, but didn't care.  
It didn't matter. Barely anything did now, as he followed the invisible path to his goal, after he had gotten the scent while approaching the School.  
There was only aching tension in his mind as an obsession took over everything he was and had.  
And didn't have.

With only shreds of clothes, covered in dirt and blood, clearly exhausted, Sabretooth still kept moving.  
Stabbed by someone, the enraged wild feral halted.  
Grabbing the short attacker, Sabretooth threw the man onto someone blue, furry person who was lunging towards them.

Then, dodging an ice burst and another lighting, he kept dashing, following the scent which was getting stronger. Familiar and compelling.  
Jumping again, away from another attack, the feral kept advancing on four legs towards the main building.  
Then noticed movement near the front doors, at a window.  
Recognizing the figure.

Speeding up, pushing his limits more, Sabretooth saw his mate coming through a window with glass shattering as she fell to the ground.  
Smell of her blood crept to him, heightening his ire towards this whole chaotic situation.  
Under all that ire was however oppressive exhaustion and longing.

He just wanted to rest with his mate.

* * *

Wolverine had no idea what the hell Anna was doing there, breaking through a window and everyone rushing to the rescue before Sabretooth would get to her.

But the beast man had a clear advance against them, faster and further away than them.  
They couldn't do anything, being too late as the rabid feral jumped onto the laying woman.

Logan yelled with horrified heart.


	11. The scent

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

Feeling a sudden heavy weight on top of her, Anna immediately started fighting back. But she stopped when hearing familiar purring. It was heavy, dark and appeasing. Vibrating through her like a big engine.

"Vic?"

The feral man grunted, hugging her tightly, face buried against her neck. Immediately Anna embraced back.  
Taking a shaky breath she felt herself relaxing. Everything that was Victor, was calming in intoxicating manner to her.  
Everything else around suddenly didn't matter so much anymore.

"I missed you", she half-choked, feeling his purring deepening.

Hugging his mate, Victor breathed her scent in and purred with deep serenity while they laid on the middle of broken glass.  
This, this is what was missed, when he revived.  
The complete absence of his mate keeping him searching and moving. Maddening him.  
Hurting him.

And now, as he had found her, again, holding her, the beast could feel enormous relief washing through him.  
Every tension in his muscles relaxed as he took another deep breath, smelling that familiar dark and spicy scent.  
And her blood. And tears. As also the runt's fresh stink.

The smooth purring turned into sharp rumbling and the claws extended out.

Anna grimaced.  
"Vic?"  
The grip was getting uncomfortable, crushing, as also the claws that were pushing into her back.  
"Victor, stop."

Seeing the beast on Anna the Wolverine kicked Sabretooth. The beast man rolled onto his back, revealing his claws retreating from the woman's bleeding back.  
Enraged, roaring, Wolverine went to rip those hands off of the female.  
But he didn't need to. Sabretooth threw her away and lunged at him, the ferals crashing onto ground.

Anna was confused as things happened so fast and then she was quickly helped up by the big Russian guy, Peter.  
Turning around she saw the two feral brothers ripping into each other, just like in the woods.  
And nobody did anything, as the two kept close and mangling each other.  
"Peter, why is no-one doing anything?"  
"Uh, well-" the Russian glanced at the fighting duo, who moved around like a ball of claws and teeth and spurting blood. "We really can't attack without hitting Logan, and they-"  
Iceman tried to hit with blast of ice, but completely missed as the ferals continued to strike each other. The ice attack instead hit part of the School.  
"It's hard to hit them without a risk to others."

"Anna", Hank ran to the woman, checking her over, seeing the wounds already closing up but also sealing some glass shards inside. "You okay?"  
"I'm fine. Can you separate them?"  
"Not really", Storm said as she landed next to Hank, careful with her still healing leg. "We might hit Logan and-"  
Iceman tried to attack again, aiming but missing Sabretooth as the feral dodged backwards. The ice almost hit Wolverine who was lunging at Sabretooth.

"Iceman!" Storm yelled to their teammate and hovered to him.  
"We can so far monitor and see no-one else gets hurt, hoping to get an opportunity to attack Sabretooth or that they exhaust themselves", Hank continued to explain. "Though in the end, we maybe have to attack and hurt Logan too in the process to stop them..."  
"Why not just attack now?" Anna asked, "Logan can take it. They need-"  
"We will handle it", Colossus tried to reassure.  
Hank took Anna by an arm and started pulling towards the School. "But we need to check your wounds first, come."

Sabretooth buried his claws deep into Wolverine's stomach, ripping guts as much as he could before being kicked away.  
He was apoplectic, unforgiving.  
It didn't matter if he had done the same before many times, but experiencing it himself, Sabretooth could not stand his brother's stench all over his mate. He deeply hated sharing anything with anyone and the runt just tried taking this one little damn thing from him!

Trying to slice the other one's head off, but missing, Wolverine was just as furious. He had wanted to keep Sabretooth away from Anna. To protect her like he protects Rouge. And yet he had failed. But Sabretooth had done enough for the last time!  
Slicing almost Sabretooth's left leg off, Wolverine dodged a hit and moved behind his opponent, trying to stab from behind.

Anna knew better than to get mixed up into that fight. It was unlike anything she had ever seen nor done.  
Father was never that brutal, never that infuriated with anyone.  
The brothers' fight was intense, full on gory and bloody, nothing sparing, just meat, claws and teeth. Like a snake eating itself.  
A small part, twisted side of Anna was excited of the sight but she was still more disturbed, shaking her head to Hank while digging her heals in.  
"No, they have to stop that."  
"There's really nothing _you_ nor _we_ can do right now", the blue feral man said grimly, trying to ignore as the feral men vocalized their fighting.  
Anna felt a bitter fire coming alive inside, giving her a boost of crazy self-confidence that _she_ was going to stop that fight.  
"I'll fucking show you."  
She yanked her hand free from Hank's grip.

A little bit too late Hank understood, trying to grab her before she took off running.  
"Sto- C- Colossus, her, take!"  
But she quickly passed the metal giant, straight towards Ororo and Bobby. Confused but still worried Hank started running after, seeing Anna pushing Bobby in aggressive manner, the young man glaring back to her.

"If you get a chance, will you actually be able to hit?" Anna snarled and stared down at the guy who she really didn't know that well. If she remembered right, he was one of Marie's friends. Didn't matter, Anna now needed his help and he seemed eager to shoot the two raging idiots.  
"Yeah, I can", was the irritated answer and Anna nodded, going to talk but Hank and Ororo stopped her.  
"Anna, what do you think you're doing?"  
"You really should go inside."

"No", she underlined. "Me and Bobby are gonna stop them and I hope you'll keep Logan down."  
"Logan?"  
Anna started running away from them and towards the fight, yelling: "Keep him off and I will deal with Victor!"

"Anna get back here!" Storm yelled and was going to do something, but Hank stopped her by a shoulder. "Hank?"  
"Let's just... See. We can immediately intervene if it's too dangerous."

"Bobby you ready?"  
"Just waiting for you!"

She was nervous. Really nervous and she really hoped this was gonna work. If not, she would look totally- No, she was going do it, and it would work, and she would end this mindless fisticuffs. No need for all of this carnage between those two, even if it was because of something else than her, it still was ridiculous.

Anna ran towards the fight, stopping a little away from it and looked behind, seeing others on their edge between coming to take her away and seeing what she was going to do.  
In fact she kinda, little bit, hoped she had a gun and bullets instead... But maybe not.

The feral woman took a deep breath, feeling herself slightly shaking, knowing very well what she was going to do and that it was going to be deeply embarrassing. The alternative of it, that it would not work, was a bit terrifying. A memory of all the stares and the shame as a child.

Before she would loose the courage, Anna took another breath and did it.

Sabretooth and Wolverine halted in middle of their strikes, confused.  
And hearing the sound again, a high and short whine, almost like a bird, the two ferals looked at the direction. Staying put.  
Then an ice blast hit Logan precisely to his head, startling Sabretooth who jumped away, growling while turning-  
Hearing that sound again he turned away from unconscious Wolverine and the X-men, seeing his mate approaching.

The rest of the X-men were very much deeply confused, Bobby stopping from attacking for now. They were all unsure of what they were watching, as Anna run to Sabretooth. And he answering to her odd call with a loud, short noise which was mix of grunting and purring.  
The woman's sound had a strange effect on Hank too, as he tried to keep himself stay put and quiet, feeling a predatory side slowly stirring inside of him with every sound of hers.

Stopping in front of Victor, Anna felt so much embarrassment that it took everything not to look away from the intense gaze of his.  
"Better not make fun of me", she muttered through gritted teeth, feeling hot and shaking.  
But being pulled into Victor's embrace, she leaned against him, feeling the embarrassment fading.  
Then heard after a sniff him starting to growl again.  
Slapping his bare, dirty, bloody and still here and there healing back, she sternly commanded: "Stop that."  
"...No", came the broken, growled answer as Victor pulled away. She grabbed onto the remains of his clothes, scared of his sudden retreat, but he wasn't letting go of her.

Finally, his head a bit better, Victor glared at Anna, holding her close by her shoulders.

A long, silent and tense minute went by as the two ferals stared at each other, with the same time growing irritation.  
Until he was the first to talk.  
"You shot me!"  
"You threw Logan at me!"  
"And that's just so much worse than being **shot in the head**!"  
"Well it seems you healed from that just fine!"  
"It hu-!"  
No, he was not gonna tell it hurt. He was not going to show any weakness. Especially in front of X-men, which by the way-  
"And I'm really sorry."  
Brows raising Sabretooth was... Surprised, not stopping her as she continued.  
"I am sorry, that I shot you. And that I left you there. And for couple of other things... But mostly I'm sorry for the shot. I shouldn't have done it."

Taking a deep breath, closing and opening his eyes Sabretooth shrugged his shoulders.  
"I _guess_ I can accept that... But-"  
"Are you gonna ask for something ridiculous?" she said with a look of annoyance.  
"I mean, now that _you_ ask."  
"Oh forget it", she shrugged his hold, but he was not gonna let go of her and let her walk away. Not again, ever. He grabbed her from behind, pulling her in and sniffed her neck, growling from disgust.  
"Runt's smell is all over you", he spat while holding her. " _Why_?"  
"Loosen your grip, Victor."  
He pressed his claws harder onto her, earning small satisfaction for his hurt feelings as she grimaced.  
"No, you tell me why the hell you smell of him, _bambi_?"  
The feral woman tried to hit hear head against his. Sabretooth however already knew her little tricks, so he simply tightened his hold and pressed his face against the side of her head.  
"A-a. **Answer to me**."  
"I didn't fuck him if that's so much disturbing you", she growled and he smelled that sweet anger he had missed some.  
"That's better be it, mate."  
"Or what, _puss_? Gonna do something about it? Lock me up or something?"  
Anger flaring up, he showed his teeth threateningly because... Because it hurt. It really ached to think she was with someone else, especially with the backstabbing runt.  
"I just may do that", he threatened and showed a dark smile.

It faltered as she stared him with that look on her face.

"... **Fuck** , _you_. Bob!"

Anna duck her head, and was glad she was riled enough not to think that what if Bobby misses again. Or how close the ice blast went.  
Luckily the boy wasn't that bad and feeling the puss getting hit, his grip letting go, Anna still looked worried at unconscious Victor. Not seeing his head busted open though, just a bit frozen and bleeding.

And now there was this whole mess, with X-men mixed into it.  
Anna looked at them while wondering what they thought about this whole thing, what they thought about her.  
And what would they do to her and Victor.


	12. No more running

"Whose side are you on?" Logan questioned, not holding back any vibrating anger in his voice. He was confused by Anna's actions.

"No-one else's but my own, Logan."  
Scoffing, shaking his head Wolverine took steps back and forth, ignoring everyone else in the lab but the woman.  
"Yeah, and a little bit on his side too…"  
"Oh? I stopped your ridiculous fighting without hurting anyone. _You're welcome_."

After being cleaned from the glass shards by Hank, Anna pulled down her new shirt and stepped in front of Logan. He disliked how he had to look upwards at her face. It usually didn't bother Logan if someone was taller than him but right now, he really didn't like how Anna was taller than him.  
He pointed towards the hallway were holding cells are, where unconscious Sabretooth was right now.

"You protected _him_ " he accused, wanting to do something to snap her out of what ever was wrong with her. "You asked others to shot _me_ , so you could cuddle him!"  
"I did **not** cuddle him!"  
"Not what I was told."

Just who Anna really helped out there?  
And who was asking now, what they were going to do with the crazy bastard? Who was it, that asked to see him?  
If that wasn't being at Sabretooth's side, then guess Wolverine was losing his mind.  
"I don't want to argue with you Logan", Anna turned away. She however has to answer to him -them- now, honestly this time. So he grabbed onto the woman's arm, yanking her back to him.

And he was grabbed by the front of his shirt, both ferals glaring now at each other with tightening holds on the other.  
"You attacked Rouge."  
"It's just a bruise. And she was gonna use _her_ powers on _me_."  
"You said you don't have nothing with him."  
He really was worried of her.

She pulled him closer by his shirt.  
"Are you that-!"

* * *

"Okay that's enough", Ororo called out, slapping her hands sharply together and Colossus, in his metal form, stepped between the ferals, separating them.  
Logan's worry was not his own.  
Hank and others were also as puzzled by Anna's actions after Sabretooth had appeared and attacked.

Though, having private talking sessions with Anna, the blue haired feral maybe had a better look at her way of thinking. Most likely her attitude towards Sabretooth wasn't anything simple.  
She couldn't _purely_ be having romantic feelings towards the criminal, not like a naive teenager or someone who doesn't see what Sabretooth was or had done.  
No, Hank believed it was something else. Had to be. Not necessarily romantic love...  
Maybe it after all was something like the mythical feral mating bond? Or maybe not, it was hard to prove. Only theories.  
And, as a scientist, he was interested.

But as a friend, and as an X-men, he was just as worried as everyone else.

"Anna, I want to talk with you later, alone. Logan, come with us to check on others. Hank, stay here with Anna."  
Hank nodded to Ororo before she went with others.

Anna, clearly upset, stood restlessly in her place.

"…Why don't you sit down?" Hank proposed after others were gone, turning towards movable table stove, putting water into a teapot to heat up.  
"I'll rather stand", she answered.  
"That is fine."  
He himself sat down, taking a notepad and a pen, keeping his hands working on scribbling some notes.  
He noticed her suspicious glance, raising his gaze onto her.  
"...What? Is this gonna be a talking session? Right now?"  
"If you don't mind? What happened today outside was very unexpected."  
"Oh really?" she sneered.  
"No need to be hostile", he pointed out, squinting his beast like eyes. "I'm not your enemy, Anna. None of us here are."

She sat down, whole body signaling rejection as she didn't look at him, her arms crossed over chest and her upper body leaning away.  
Looking at her calmly, Hank thought about how to talk with her.

"...How did you know, that they would react like that to... That sound you did?"  
"I didn't", she muttered. Observing he noticed her cheeks and neck bit flushed, as her whole body was staying put.  
Then she spoke with a stutter.  
"I ju- Jus- Just tried."  
"And what if it wouldn't had worked?"  
"...Can we talk something else?"  
"I guess so... But why you wanted us to held Logan back, and not Sabretooth?"  
She did not answer, Hank waiting.  
"Anna?"  
"I don't know."  
She stared at her entwined fingers, face down.  
"I don't know", she repeated.  
"And why did you broke out? Through the window?"  
She shook her head, shrugged.  
"The doors were locked."  
"You must have felt or thought _something_ , when you were doing all that?"  
She shook her head again, tensed all up.

"I won't judge y-"  
"You **will**. You will, and things will get worse."  
"In what way worse?" he said gently.  
"I don't know. But it will... It always will if I try to- If I let-"  
She stopped and fell into silence, not finishing her sentence.

With these past sessions, Anna had given hints like puzzle pieces for Hank to collect and solve the picture that they would form together.

Anna had told some about her father.  
Glimpses about the life she had in the cottage, alone with her father and no-one else allowed into their so-called territory.  
That something horrible had happened to her mother because of father. And Anna thought that she, as a child, should have done something to prevent it.  
And it was clear, that she guarded herself in every way. Like with her father, and after killing him, with the villagers.  
That she still had felt isolated and threatened even among other people. And she was almost killed as a child by a mutant who she in turn had to kill for self-defense. That she didn't want to be near other mutants nor anyone she didn't trust...

Broken or nonexistent relationships towards parents.  
Raised with isolation, violence, rejection and feeling of being inferiority.  
Having always to try her best to keep herself in control in order to avoid disorder.  
Not having the care, support and love that a child should have.  
Never really address her past and traumas, but use them as restorative towards her look at the world and everyone around.  
Not finding ways to constructively deal with her problems.

Yes, Anna had everything to become a... Troubled adult, with lacking empathy towards anyone.

And yet, Anna had cried when telling of these painful things to him. Blaming herself about her mother's and her friends' deaths.  
Speaking of her friendship with Logan with gentleness, calling him a good person.  
Or she suggesting concern towards Sabretooth, defending him from accuses of abusing her.

She was not a lost cause, Hank had decided. Having the right people in her life had kept her on the surface, have some moral and sympathy towards those she cared for.  
Now... The question was... Would the relationship between her and Victor Creed be the sinking rock or the enforcing fiber in her lifeline?  
And perhaps in Victor's too?

It was very dangerous question.

This was Sabretooth after all. He was known for his cruel, inhuman nature. He was real a monster in human form, with little compassion towards life. He had lived for long time and there was no good to be heard of.

And personally, Hank dreaded Victor's interested in someone like Anna, a broken person who could become his plaything.

Although... When thinking about it, it had seemed Sabretooth had only come into the School grounds, pushed past all the defenses and them, to just find Anna. And he hadn't killed her when holding her in front of them, not even tried to, nor held her as hostage to ensure his escape route. He could easily have done that...  
And Anna hadn't hesitated to approach the man, sharing obvious tenderness with him.  
But then he had done something, making Anna to call Bobby to hit him.

...It could be Sabretooth had an obsession of her, and not in a good way. And Anna seemed to have affection towards him...  
It was dangerous.

Hank thought about this, analyzing, remembering, theorizing, disputing with himself so deeply that he didn't hear the tea water being ready. Until Anna raised her voice.  
"Hank! The tea?"  
"Oh, right, yes", he got up, putting down his pen and notepad, walking to the whistling teapot.

...It would be crazy. Sabretooth clearly had tendencies, easily submitting into sadistic, repulsive and inhuman acts **and** enjoy of them with no remorse.  
And yet... Hank thought, his mind buzzing, as he poured hot water into two cups and put teabags in, that what if...  
What if with right person, with right methods... No, ridicules, Victor needed professional help in closed facility with constant guarding. And even then the help maybe wouldn't work on him.  
He had obvious psychopathic tendencies and the few professionals who had the opportunity to interview him, supported the theory of him.  
Though medicine and professional help alone wouldn't be helpful without some moral support from a person who...

It was wishful thinking, naive and very, very dangerous. It probably would be more like forcing two negatives together, rejecting each other with great force and making it much worse, incontinent.  
...Though, in other hand, two negatives can make a positive...  
And maybe, as the healing ability also effects the brains, maybe Victor...  
Maybe... No...  
It would be selfish to test it, putting Anna into danger. Very unethical.  
But... Feral's mating bonds... Not really proved... But Sabretooth... A very feral one, seeing her as his mate... And she clearly had something towards him... No, no. It could be Sabretooth was only pretending, it was very likely. But maybe not?

It was tempting and Hank was disappointed of himself considering such things. Feeling like unprofessional doctor who didn't care for his patients' safety in body and mind. Yet, deeper in him, there was something relentlessly telling him that _perhaps_.

A more primitive side of him whispering so.

* * *

Anna watched with half-amusement as Hank kept being frozen with two teacups on each hand, staring into nothingness in deep intent.

She really didn't like it if it was about her though. It's better not be about her.  
"Hank?" she called and frowned as the feral man startled, blinked and looked at her in daze.  
"Ah! Yes yes, I apologize", he spoke while walking to her and giving one of the teacups.  
She held it as he sat down, sipping his drink.  
And then he asked: "In all honesty, what do you think about Sabretooth? In two sentences for example? No judging from me, this being only between us. An honest opinion."  
Lifting a brow she squinted her hazel eyes at him.  
"Why?"  
"Just humor me."

Is he testing her? That would she betray them for the puss? Because it was clear from Logan that they were suspecting her.  
"Please? How would you describe him? I am just curious, simply", Hank actually sounded very curious. And maybe a bit desperate.

Sighing, blowing rising steam from her cup, she thought about how she saw Victor. First rose all the negatives about him, those were easy. But... He wasn't totally shitty person neither. At least, not how she saw those kind of people.

Taking a small sip of the hot liquid, the warmth going down her throat, Anna tried to think with wandering gaze. Two sentences huh?

"He is..." she started, taking her time with the words. Censoring what could be seen as negative towards her.  
"Don't try to think about it too much", Hank however interrupted and she glared. "I'm sorry, continue, please. Just be honest."

"...Victor is an arrogant, impetuous and a grinning bossy jackass", she dryly answered, taking another sip, burning her tongue. Didn't bother though as it would heal quickly, just like everything else nowadays...  
Less annoyed, Anna continued.  
"But he is a very powerful predator, so guess he has reasons to be cocky. And he's smart. And sometimes funny and he has interesting stories, when he doesn't try to act as some butt hurt alpha male", she spoke while looking at her teacup.  
There was silence after that, Anna looking up with worry.

Alarm went off, loud and rapid low peeping, starling them.

Hank rose up and hurried to the control panel. Anna put away her cup and went to peek behind him.  
In one of the monitors was shown the cell were Sabretooth had been put in.  
He was hitting against the hard glass door, trying to bring it down. He repeatedly rammed against it with his shoulder.

"I'll go", Anna said while already moving towards the door to the cells.  
"Anna!"  
She looked at Hank, who then gravely warned: "...Be careful."  
"...Yeah", she pushed through the door.  
Running down the hallway she heard the racket that Victor was making, slamming against the door.

Then suddenly it stopped.  
Everything got all quiet in the hallway.

Anna halted and listened, only hearing Victor's heavy breathing and his fast heartbeats ahead.  
An eerie feeling tried to settle and she hesitated.  
But scoffing at it she forced her legs moving forward.  
Like she had anything to be afraid of. Like she was gonna let herself feel like that.  
Especially of him.

The cell coming into her view, she saw the feral man standing there, near the glass wall while watching into her direction.  
Lightly panting he kept glaring as she came to stand in front of him.

Looking through the wall, Anna's scowl deepened as he suddenly punched it. The transparent wall jolted, but didn't seem to take any damage. Only having a smear of blood from Victor's momentarily broken knuckles.  
Anna's face slightly changed after glancing at the red stain, she then observing Victor's being that was agitated and tense as also bloody and filthy.

"Open this door", he demanded with timbering growl, leaning his face forward in dominating manner.  
"No."  
Another punch with a snarl. Then he placed his palm against the surface with lengthened claws which scratched the surface. Him striking, Anna flinched from the irritating sound as he scraped the glass.  
" **Now**."

He acted like an animal in a cage, she thought. Feeling almost herself as trapped as he did.

"Open it!"  
"I couldn't even if I wanted", she said back. "Victor. **Calm down**."  
He punched the glass again. Again and again and Anna held herself from taking a step back from the shaking wall.  
Not cover from the violent booming noise that every hit made.  
Trying to keep herself more annoyed than worried of Victor's self-destructive, wild behavior.  
She wasn't going to show him fear or hesitation, if that was what he wanted by acting like this.  
Instead, she forced herself to step closer to the wall, closer to the hitting fist.

Holding the furious gaze of the other, Anna kept pushing away the bad memories and the feelings linked to similar situations. Of father being angry to her, showing ferocity that made her crawl to a corner in fear, before being dragged back.

Father was **much more** scarier than Victor.

But... It distressed seeing Victor hurting himself like this. Like an animal chewing itself.

"Calm down, _now_ ", she tried to command him.  
He stopped from hitting the wall, eyes never leaving hers.

"Can't fucking believe you", he hissed through clenching teeth.

* * *

Stepping away from the wall, Victor paced around the small cell.  
He was trapped.  
Unable.  
The feeling of lost control oppressive like a suffocating plastic bag around his head.  
It however would be just matter of time when he would be free again. Was it then here, with the X-men, or with whoever would be running to collect him for any pointless reason. And he would play with them, pretend an obedient pet.  
But he was not gonna get onto his knees and really submit. He would just wait his time.  
Because he was not gonna become nobody's puppet, was it being their war dog, test subject, plaything, prisoner...  
Sabretooth would get out eventually from whatever box he would be placed in. He would be in control of himself again.

He still didn't like being trapped though. Especially with Anna on the other side of this confining barrier. He wanted to hold and just keep her.  
Take her.  
Take her, and put into somewhere, somewhere secure. Where only he could find her. No-one else, no-one taking her or hurting her and she not getting away from him.  
So much easier to keep his mate then. A mate that doesn't want him.  
Why does he even keep trying, kept lowering himself for a moribund frail, that rather had his brother than him? Maybe Sabretooth needed another bullet to knock his head out. Maybe that would fix whatever was wrong with him what came to this frail.  
Except there wasn't nothing wrong, not with him, just with the woman!  
Sabretooth stopped, looked at the female.  
Sensing her uneasiness that her stern attitude didn't hide as well as she thought...

What was then making her nervous? This place? The X-men? What they had said? Was it him being trapped? Or just him?  
The last possible reason irritated the growling feral man. Trying to think with weary, stubborn and anxious mind.

She had become angry with him again, at the outside, then called that kid to knock him down. Why? Was she now friends with these people? Had they told her something? Has he lost her for good now? Would she not accept anything he would try to give her anymore?

Thinking of her rejecting him, for real and without any hint of hesitation, was...  
He needs to make her submit to him, yeah.  
That would more likely work, always had when they were reluctant. Though it only worked for a moment, the frails either then escaping or dying, scared of him, hating. He didn't want Anna to do that. She was to be kept. But how?  
He didn't want to loose her.  
But he already tried! He had given her a comfortable place to heal, kept her safe, all that and what's her answer? No? Just no, she says!  
Just no because fuck no Sabretooth was getting anything in this fucked up world, even if he tried to hold onto it with claws and teeth, giving everything! It wasn't enough what ever he did!

It never. Is. Enough.

Wasn't for Jimmy and wasn't for Anna. Because a beast like him can't have anything as everyone would see to it. Just like old pop said: nothing good can't come of or happen to a demon's spawn.  
He just always has to fight for what ever he wants or needs, that's the way life is for freaks like him!

"I saved you!" Sabretooth yelled and turned towards Anna. "Helped **many** times. Kept safe and everything else, but you still say no?!"

He lunged at the door, crashing against it, staring at her and smelling it. A little bit of fear and _so much_ stress, tasting prickly. It sickened and excited him at the same time and why not? It was better than that runt's stink on her!

"And what do you give in turn? Huh? Running. Pen into the head, bullet into the head. An ice blast from one of your fuck boys?"  
His face twitched, spread into a snarl with twitching, raised mouth corners.

"Or no, maybe not that kid", he slowly shook his head. She wouldn't let some weak snotnose get to her, no no. "Logan doesn't like sharing his piece of cunt, now does he? No, no he doesn't. So how do you give it to him? Tricked him that he'll protect you from the big and bad-"

The glass door jolted, and not because of Sabretooth this time.

Surprised, halted, he glanced down. Seeing Anna's foot against the surface.  
And looking back to her face, her frigid look made his raging spite abate.

" **Fuck. _YOU_ , Victor**", she growled at him in low voice and kicked the door again. Then third and fourth time, with increasing power. There was a sound, but Victor passed it as she leaned forward, with her foot keeping against the glass wall.  
A real hateful ire burning behind her words.

"I never, _ever_ , asked you to do those things! Ever! I don't own you **_anything_** _!_ I never asked you to stay. I never asked for your help. I never said, I was going to be your prized, rubbing-it-onto-Logan's-face- _fucktoy!_ A new _mate_ among other other women in your collection! I'm not a piece of cunt!"  
"It doesn't meant that", he cut between.  
"How does it not?!" Anna questioned, lowering her foot.

"What else you do with women, huh?! What else you would want from me than fucking?"  
She spread her arms. "What's so special about _this_? What? What do you want from _me_?!" she screamed, voice breaking as the rawness of her feelings pushed onto the surface.  
She quickly turned away, her back towards him, but he could smell the tears and sense her deep distress. Prickly and salty.  
Finally seeing behind the cold and angry act of hers as she tried to hide it all from him. Hearing her breathing forced to stay calm as her body wanted to give in.  
But she didn't, not in front of him.  
Defending herself, like always.

Victor's insides twisted in uncomfortably. He looked away.

"There's _nothing_ worth of taking, Victor", she choked out. "Nothing! You won't get back at Logan by using me. And I won't be your plaything. _N_ _ever_. So I am not worth of _anything_ to you... So _**g**_ _ **ive**. **Up**_." she growled out, shaking and still not looking at him.  
He smelled tears.

...Victor had not cried since the cellar and his father. And since his mother's death.  
Guess he cried enough back then.  
He didn't cry either, when Jimmy left. Cutting out of his life, just like that, leaving without looking back as Victor called after him.  
And the runt abandoned his big brother for what? A hard, _normal_ life among _humans_ with a _frail_ who just played with Jimmy?  
Victor had felt deeply betrayed, after everything they did and got through together. What _he_ did to make sure they survived in this world.  
And, Victor also had been disappointed on himself... Not entirely understanding what he had done to push his baby brother to that decision, but still feeling bad about it.  
But not able to know how to approach Jimmy, when feeling like it would only end into more rejection, as how Jimmy left without hesitation. Never contacting him and continuing forward without him.

And then everything had gone just worse: Jimmy not remembering him anymore, nothing about them. It felt like there was nothing else connecting them anymore than just hate. And in desperation and bitterness, Victor keeps holding onto it rather than loosing the pitiful runt for good.

So, Victor hadn't cried back then when he had lost Jimmy... And he didn't cry now either, as he wanted to hold his mate, who he was hurting and who was hurting him in turn, as she doubted herself and him. Forcing a wall between them without giving a chance.  
He didn't know what to do or say, wanting to just push through as he always does and yet... Feeling a need to be... A bit more tender. His instincts vaguely guiding as Sabretooth tried to wrestle with his bad habits of being the dominant one, never submitting and so never losing anything.  
But now he was losing Anna, the little bit he had of her.  
"That's not what I want", he stated, swallowing.  
"Stop _lying._ "

Slamming his hand onto the wall he commanded: "Look at me."  
She didn't.  
"Anna, **now**."

She kept still.

Victor let out heavy sigh.

The whole thing was a mess. _They_ were a mess, separately and together.  
Maybe just proving why this whole mate thing was one big fucking mess, _a mistake_. Especially as she kept fighting and running away from him. What was he suppose to do then?  
But, as he now was more calmed down, Victor knew there was something in Anna towards him. Or at least he hoped there still was.  
That he had been wrong about she despising him, rejecting for someone else or because he was... This. A beast, though he would never apologize for that. Had stopped doing it when father had kept torturing nonetheless, and when later humans scorned and used him and his little brother, no matter what he said or did.  
No-one, except the runt, had sincerely apologized to him for anything after his mother's death. Only when wanting to save themselves or bluff.  
Except that Anna had apologized to him.

She really had surprised him with that, sounding like she really was sorry for shooting him. And she had said, that she had missed him. She had not tried to get away from him, hadn't screamed for help but instead she had embraced him back, even though the X-men was there to back her up.

"Just _look_ at me."

So there was _something_ there. He just needed to do something, he just wasn't sure what. He hadn't done this kind of thing before. On other hand, neither had she.

He tried to understand his feelings, anxiously find some way to make this right and he reluctantly added: "... _Please_."

This time Anna peeked. Looking slightly over her shoulder, after trying imperceptibly to wipe her face.  
The look she gave, had feelings that were familiar to Victor himself.  
Hurt, sadness and insecurity.  
And a need not to show them because most likely, someone will take advantage of those. Making you frail and to be used.

Sabretooth usually buried all those feelings under other, more aggressive emotions and actions because those are easier to deal with. _Easier_ to understand _._ Just easier. Better to be suspicious than open for attacks from anyone. _  
_And as adult, it's easier for him to dispose the problems that threaten him, unlike as a weak child at the mercy of adults.

With Anna though...  
He could kill her. Do it quickly, without causing any suffering to her.  
But did he want to kill her? It would be easier.  
But still not what he wanted.

"Yes, it was _at first_ just about bullying you. Till Logan would come, and I'd just leave you as broken gift for him", Victor admitted and kept the eye contact with her.

"...Things changed. You aren't just _another_ frail. Not at all, actually pushing me back as I tried to corner you."

Like using his senses against him. Easily dodging and escaping from him. Even while injured she tricked him and killed him, many times.  
There has been feisty ones in the past but Anna... She did even more. She was more.  
She intrigued him, right from the start.  
She could really rile him up, in more ways than one.  
She was spontaneous, hard, unyielding and putting him into his place when he went too far. She was unbroken, straight in her intention.  
When they are together, Victor is content. Actually enjoying.

With her, there is excitement, playfulness. But also softness, understanding and feeling of serene. She didn't shun him because he liked bloody violence. She accepted it, and even shared his enjoyment of it.  
There was no backstabbing and scheming like at some past sexual partnership of his. No gaining money nor power, just being together.

Swiping his mouth, glancing away, Victor tried to think how to say it all to her. How to make her see that... Well...  
He wanted her for more than just a quick fuck or to annoy the runt.  
The two of them were a mess, but it didn't need to mean, that they couldn't have something better. Together.

"..." he desperately tried to rattle his mind, figure out where to start, how to tell her. Despite what some thought he _knew_ he is smart, at manipulating people, but now, now he needed to make her see he was honest.  
But he was also exhausted, struggling while hiding it. He hadn't slept since resurrecting in the forest, kept going till he was with her again.  
"I _really_ disliked it _,_ how I suddenly felt like maybe I _shouldn't_ kill you. And really despised the thought that, maybe, I should actually _keep_ you."  
She kept looking at him.

"And not as a collectible toy. As a mate. Which is not my thing. Really, I'm more of self-reliant."  
Sure there had been some relationships, simple and complex ones, short and somewhat long. But usually they were shadowed by scheming, exploitation and threats, mutually.  
Some with more severe consequences than others.  
"And I tried to leave, keep at my usual thing and maybe come back later to finish you."  
"Wouldn't have happened", she muttered. He smirked.  
"A-ah, sure."  
She lightly glared, before asking.  
"...Is that why you left that morning?"

"Yeah... I, however, decided to _come back_. It was more of pain in the ass to stay away. Couldn't stop about thinking you. But when I returned, things had really gone to sideways in the village. Had to get to you before others. Wanted to keep you alive."  
Needed to.

"...After that car crash of yours, I tried to re-think. Didn't see what's the point to keep at it... You obviously didn't want me near. Kept running away. But, I've always acted as my guts tell me to. I'm more of an animal, not much of a human: hate closed places, cooked food and perfumes. I like to dominate and play, wander around."  
"Like an ally cat", she said and they both chuckled. Anna's position slightly changed more towards him.  
"Nah, there's a clear difference between Sabretooth and a kitty."  
"Sure, puss."  
He's eyes squinted.  
"I'm trying here, bambi", he lightly growled.

"Trying what?"  
"To- Fuck! To want _me_!" he spelled it out to her.  
"You don't have to try."  
"Then what do _you_ want from _me_?"  
"...Nothing."  
The answer felt wrong. He surely had _something_ she wanted. Something that would make her stay with him.  
"Stop _lying_ ", he repeated back to her in sharp manner. And before she could say back, he threw: "You want me."  
She didn't turn her back to him again, but didn't look at him either, looking to aside instead. He kept his grip on that thin string though.  
Poking her to get a more visible reaction.

"Is it something your father-"  
"Shut up", she snarled.  
"Still afraid of your **dead** old man, I see", he kept teasing having a clear reaction from her: if the glass wall would have not been there, she surely would had attacked him with that look.

She glared at him, while Victor kept challenging with looking back. Though he didn't try to look dominant now, not playing with her.  
"He was wrong about you", he said quietly, hint of purr in his voice.

That hit her, he could see it clearly from her surprised face.  
But then she started walking away.  
" **Anna**."  
She kept walking.

"Stop _running a-_!"  
"I AM **NOT** RUNNING AWAY!" she screamed while stopping to turn around and glowered at him. And then looked again to aside, legs fidget as she stood there agitated as he kept staring at her.

"I can't take this", she finally said with wavering, struggling voice. "You keep _chasing me_. Saying and offering things that- I just don't understand you. I **can't** compare to you, Victor. Is that what you want to hear?"


	13. Interrogations and confessions

Victor was confused, wondering what was running in the bambi's head as she looked at him while asking that.  
"Hear what?" he questioned.

"That I'm not anything like you, that I'm not a predator. That I'm only a prey and-"  
He punched the wall, as hard as he could with sudden furiousness.  
"Now you stop that fucking right now", he demanded through snarling teeth.

" _That_ has to stop, Anna. What ever that rotting corpse said, what ever he did or claimed, he was wrong about _everything_. He is **dead**. You _killed_ him, you protected yourself and you _survived_. If you actually were as weak as he said, then you shouldn't be alive right now. Not after me, because I'm the most dangerous one on earth and that's not just bragging. I know a prey when I see one, and you **are not** that."

Victor already had but now he was **really** starting to loathe Anna's father. In a point that he wanted to exhume the bastard just to mash the remains, kick them around and piss all over them.  
That piece of shit had rooted inside of Anna this deep self-loathing, that deep down she actually still believed his words over anyone else's, even doubting her own.

And Victor was going to rip that ill meant thought out of her even if he had to use force.  
"Come here", he commanded and already expecting her not to follow, added: "Or I'll come to you."  
After a moment and him almost starting to beat the wall, she started approaching slowly. Relieved, he purred: "Good. Come here, bambi. In front of me."

As the woman finally stood on the other side, she kept looking at him haltingly, like a spooked animal ready to bolt.  
Victor had to try to calm himself, as his heart hammered that Anna surely could hear it, while they stared at each other.

And then the feral man lowered himself onto his knees to the cell's floor. Keeping the eye contact while sitting, hands on his kneecaps and claws almost drilling into his legs.  
He almost, despite of shaking anxiety, smirked at the face that the female was making.  
"...Wha- What are you doing?"  
"What does it look like?"  
" _Why_?"  
Victor shrugged, starting to enjoy how she was startled by such a simple act. Just like when he had tried to offer his jacket.

"I like to watch you from this angle, I guess", he smirked, giving in. And slowly, being in this position in front of his mate, didn't feel so bad after all. Like in the hospital.  
There was trust in him towards her, that he hadn't knowledge before. That she wouldn't mock him or use this against him, if he submitted to her.  
But only to her.  
The smirk vanished.  
"Now, tell me, honestly, no tricks or lies from either of us: what are you afraid of?"

He raised a brow as she also settled onto the floor, in a same position. It however also pleased him as they on the same level.

Looking at him she instead of asked: "What changed? That you didn't want to kill me anymore?"  
It was a hard question that he didn't have a plain answer to, shrugging.  
"I don't know. You wouldn't go down, and kept being a real tease", he half-joked, but added seriously. "I told you Anna: I'm more of a beast than a man. I follow my instincts without much of thinking. Suddenly there just was this thought of you. Didn't like it at first, but then decided you are what I actually want."

To him it was that simple. He had tried to think, analyze and ward it off. It didn't do any good. It didn't come any clearer nor easier. He just noticed that she was still alive and around, how she wasn't afraid of him and treated sometimes just like another, irritating person. Not as some boogeyman.  
It was also a nice bonus, that she was passionate not just when they fought or talked, but also when fucking...

"So... This mate thing, what is it to you?"  
He huffed: "Don't fucking care. It's just what bunch of ferals, who can't be honest to themselves, use as a excuse to their behavior.

He had heard some things about it couple of times. Mating bond, the connection between two ferals meant to be together.  
Clearly if anyone looked at him and Anna, would say that they were not meant to be together. And yet, hopefully, Anna was feeling like he was: _just fuck it_.  
Anna however wasn't satisfied: "So you don't feel like something is compelling you?"  
"I don't do nor keep what I don't want", he simply said, feeling more self-assured and threw back: "How do you then feel about it? You think you wouldn't like this handsome face, if not for the magical link between us?"

Her lengthening quietness seemed like a bad omen. Making him to start regret the question, as she looked down, avoiding his gaze.  
And instead answered: "Logan showed some of your information."  
He wanted to strangle that shorty, Victor thought with racing mind, as she spoke with troubled voice.

"When you first came after me, I thought you were just another, soon to be dead idiot... Then as a more challenging one, as you didn't die so easily. But you kept coming back, and stayed around."  
She frowned.  
"You are so, so much more _stronger_ than me. Years of experiences. You are-"  
"I know, I'm awesome", Victor finished her sentence, trying to figure out where she was going with this.  
Anna chuckled, though with the opposite of happiness, hiding her face from him by looking down.  
"The truth is, you... Are something that I am not, a real predator."

* * *

It was the truth.  
Where Victor was the Sabretooth, Anna was just another, low leveled mutant with only few years behind her. Unlike him.  
Knowing more of him had made her feel more inferior, like with fath-

"Didn't I say", Victor growled: "That you will stop that kind of shit."  
It was easy to him to say that, Anna thought as she slightly looked upwards at him.  
He was the Sabretooth. He had everything and didn't need to prove himself to anyone.  
Lowering his face to have a better eye contact with her, he next said with upward corners: "Gonna need to teach you from thinking like that, bambi."  
Defiance immediately reared its head, as she raised her face in a challenge to him: "And how?"  
"Maybe I'll spank you."  
Dumbfounded Anna stared, crimson color spreading across her cheeks.  
"Or eat you", he wondered with a light growl slipping from his smiling mouth. Anna got the clear innuendo, and she couldn't control the wavy, warm feeling suddenly inside of her as also her breathing quickened a notch.

Especially when demonstratively Victor sniffed the air, a certain glint in his smiling eyes.  
"You would like that, wouldn't you, _my_ _mate_?"  
Swallowing, certain memories in mind, Anna forced herself to calmly breath. This puss...  
He called her-

Then the words, spoken by the hallucination as her father, scolding her, flashed to the surface. Of letting herself to be too relaxed around Victor, just to be fucked and kept like a cheap slut.

"You made a promise to me", she slightly glared at his confused face: "At that veterinarian's place, that you wouldn't let anything happen to me."  
If it wasn't for him...  
"I was taken from the hospital, as you left me there. I was taken into that lab, and was held in there for months... I- You left me."

"I started looking for you _immediately_ , when you were taken", he claimed. "I did that as _fast_ I could. And I burned that place down when I found out, that you weren't there anymore. I made sure every one of them died in that fire."  
She wasn't convinced, going to strike him with what had been done to her, in a bitter tone.  
But Victor said next: "I was going to relocate you from that hospital when coming back. If I had known, that those idiots were targeting you, I would had moved you immediately and taken care of them. I didn't _leave_ you."  
That, somewhat, soothed her. Yet it didn't make things undone.  
"They tested me."  
"What did they do?"

She tried to say it without any trouble, but her voice still held hints of how she felt about it: "I... I'm maybe... More like- Like you and Logan, now. They amplified my, healing... Factor."

She watched as his face went from surprised to something she couldn't quiet read. He looked a bit angry, but also maybe confused. She waited him to say something.  
Would it change things, that he now knows that she has changed?

Anna noticed herself hoping, that it wouldn't be like that.

A sound of door opening and closing, heavy and fast steps coming, alarmed the two ferals.  
Victor started growling while standing up, Anna glancing at him.

" _ **Fucking runt**_."

* * *

With hurried steps Logan moved towards the cell were Sabretooth was kept.  
Wolverine almost hit Hank, when hearing where Anna was and saw in a monitor her in front of the feral's cell. Just sitting there.

Just what had that blueass thought?! Letting Anna near that shitbag despite of _everything_ Sabretooth has done to her and everyone else? She has already acted recklessly, endangering herself and helping him.  
She was not well in the head, and yet Hank did things like this.

"Anna", Logan called when seeing her standing there, near the transparent wall and near Sabretooth.  
" **Fuck off runt!** "  
Ignoring the roar he walked right next to the woman who was looking back at him, still and silent.  
"Anna?"  
"Yes?"  
Frowning, he told that Ororo wanted to see her in the office.  
"Now?"  
" **Yes**."  
"Doesn't seem likes she wants to. So _leave us_ ", Sabretooth snarled, sneering and finally Logan glared back at him. Then looked again at Anna.  
She didn't move, glancing at Sabretooth instead.

Logan hit, his extended adamantium claws slicing trough the glass wall like paper. Unfortunately the bastard on the other side was fast enough to avoid, and Logan pulled his claws back in.  
He reached towards frozen Anna.  
As he did that however, he momentarily halted when Sabretooth hit the glass wall, right at the height where Wolverine's head was. The whole wall jolted with a great boom that startled Anna and Logan looked at his pissed off nemesis.

"You ain't gonna touch her", Sabretooth warned behind the glass, acting like the thing wouldn't be an obstacle to him.

...Logan smirked, just a little.  
Seeing Sabretooth getting more and more furious, Logan grabbed Anna from her wrist and started half-pulling her with him out of the hallway. Which echoed with bashing sounds, yells, roars and growls as Sabretooth raged in his cell.  
" **Runt!** "

It felt good.

After they got back into Hank's lab, she forced her hand out of Logan's grasp.  
Turning to look at her, he didn't caught her gaze.  
Hank walked towards them, opening his mouth but Wolverine let out a warning sound, glaring until the doctor stepped away.  
"And where you going?" he growled next to Anna who was going to get past him.  
"To Ororo, as told", she pointed out, looking down at him while waiting to be allowed to go.  
"We are gonna talk later", he said, moving to aside. Not smelling nothing from her, except a slight arousal.  
The thought of Sabretooth being behind that scent was disgusting.

When Anna was out of the room, Logan moved his attention to Hank who was calmly waiting.  
"Yes Logan?"  
"What the hell were you thinking?!"

* * *

In the principal's office, that used to be Charles', Ororo sat behind a desk, her wrapped leg resting on a footstool.  
The dark skinned woman watched through one of the big windows, thinking about the day's happenings.

She shared Logan's and others' concern about Anna.  
Even though there may be an understandable, psychological explanation for the woman's actions, it still didn't make them undone.  
After Sabretooth had attacked the School, Anna had attacked one of them, a student furthermore, and then breaking through a window had told them to knock down Logan instead of Sabretooth.  
Though it had ended into her calling Bobby to strike, it was not unmistakable, that Anna had shared affectional moment with Sabretooth.

Playing with short strand of her white hair, Ororo next recalled the happenings, when the X-men went to pick up Wolverine and the woman.  
Anna had attacked then too, because of that man. She had kicked Storm's leg, as she had tried to comfort the oddly behaving woman. Despite of Anna being weakened at the moment, she had managed to break Ororo's calf bone and shinbone easily.

And Anna was also a suspect about the massacre that had happened in the village. Though it could be argued, that Sabretooth was behind all of that.  
But...  
But.  
Hank didn't tell them what was discussed between him and Anna in their private sessions. But he had told that the woman needed serious help, even if he also pointed out that she was not a lost cause or imminent danger to them.  
Hank could be such a sympathizing sweetheart...

All in all, in the end, Ororo always thinks what is best for her students, family and the X-men. Keep them _safe_.  
And she wasn't sure, that Anna wasn't a risk to them. A possible menace, because of her connection to that feral man.

Storm remembered Sabretooth's claws, always gravitating to her throat, sharp and hurting. Threatening. And him leering, telling her to scream for him. Ororo shivered from dread.  
She wanted that man- Monster, out of the School as fast as possible. And what came to Anna-

Hearing the knocking she straightened up, turning her attention to the door, telling them to come in.  
As Anna stepped inside, closing the door behind and approached, Ororo looked at her.

Though she tried to remain positive, she had to admit that she didn't see Anna as a approachable person and she didn't like her cold attitude either. It always seemed the woman was hiding things, not showing real thoughts and emotions. Always looking at them with skepticism.  
Now Anna looked back evenly, without any real expression on face, while taking a seat in front of the desk.  
"You wanted to see me?"  
"Yes, thank you for coming... How have you been?"  
"Bit tired, but fine. How's your leg?"  
"Healing", Ororo nodded, observing, asking next: "How does it feel, that Sabretooth is here?"  
"Confusing."  
Surprised by the honest sounding answer, she felt quickly sympathy towards the woman: "Are you afraid? He can't get to you."

"...I am not afraid of him", the blond, short haired woman claimed. "I can handle him, if he would try anything."  
"Ah... Then why are you confused?"  
Anna shrugged.  
"It's weird seeing him locked up in a cell."  
Ororo wasn't sure how to take that. So she asked next: "About what happened today... You acted very recklessly and dangerously. You are our guest: your safety is important, but so is others'. You attacked one of our students, then crashed through a window and made Bobby to shoot Logan instead of Sabretooth?"  
Anna leaned to aside on her chair, staring back with cold eyes.  
"I apologize for the window, ma'am. But what comes to the rest, I don't see them as crossing a line."  
"How so?"

"I only reacted instinctively: she tried to used her powers onto me. And what I know, she could hurt me badly with them. So, even though she had good intentions, if anyone tries to attack me, I don't hesitate to defend myself"  
Ororo had to agree with Anna on that... And after all she didn't hurt Marie that bad, the teenager was a bit shaken and bruised, but not having anything broken.  
"And what comes to about me stopping the fight... I feel Sabretooth attacked the School, because of me. So I felt responsible. And I have never fought Logan before, I don't know his temper nor skills. But I'm well aware of Sabertooth's abilities. I stopped their fight quickly and without damage to bystanders nor the School."

Straightening up, hands on her lap, the feral stated: "I don't feel I did anything wrong at these two cases."

"Maybe. But what did you then talk about with Sabretooth? Though he had kept you against your will and abused-"  
"What I talked about with him, is between me and him", Anna cut between. "However, if you have something you are suspecting me of, I want to hear it straight, ma'am. Despite of what happened today, I believe I have not since my arrival caused any concerns of me being a threat to any of you."

No, she hasn't. Ororo looked back at the feral.  
But with everything... She felt that Anna was too suspicious. What came to Sabretooth and how she acted. It felt a bit of a risk of her moving free while the feral man was here.  
It maybe would be better to place Anna back into the cells, but now as the man was there... And though Storm suspected, she couldn't act on a gut feeling.  
Though Logan too said that Anna was behaving oddly now.

It felt like Anna had a... Relationship with Sabretooth. And yet she did not talk about him like that, she also had told Bobby to hit him.  
Maybe it was a ruse? But why? When had the two ferals made the plot, and had Logan and Anna being kidnapped into the lab been a part of the scheme?

All in all, though Anna was suspicious, there was no real evidence to see her as a threat or really think that she was plotting anything against them.

Ororo felt frustrated, but tried to keep up a friendly yet stern tone.  
"How do you feel about the coming trial?"  
"Nervous."  
"Yes, I understand... But I believe it will go well", she offered though not actually so sure about it. As how Anna had frozen and how the prosecutor had steamrolled with accusations.

On one side it seemed, that Anna had been behind some of the murders. But why would she attack her own family members? The villagers had described her -though as odd- but also as protective of her adoptive father and brother.  
Then in other hand witnesses told about how Sabretooth had been seen there, with the woman and without her. Threatening her, humans and then most of the killings seemed like his doings: ripped and teared victims.

It was a mess, no clear signs who was the real criminal. Or both of them? Why? What was the reason?

"What is your relationship to Sabretooth, Anna?" Ororo tried to get something that would make things clear, as she looked at the vague woman.  
"...Competitive."


	14. The crumpling nest

Anna walked towards nearest restroom. Seeing that the room and other booths were empty, she went into one of them.  
Locking the door she then sat down on a toilet, pulled feet onto the seat's edge and put hands onto her head. Taking a moment of breath.

...She wanted to scream. She wanted to break something, she wanted to run and curse. Let out the whole storm that was raging just under the surface of hers.

They were suspecting her. Every one of them.  
The trial was coming and Ororo had clearly lied. And if X-men was suspecting Anna, they probably wouldn't help her, would the trial's result be anything.  
Most likely she was gonna be seen as guilty for what ever accuse would be thrown at her.  
She was already on trial for being _a mutie._ She had seen the news...  
Victor was also here now, and he hadn't made anything easier. Not with the X-men nor what he had talked about down at the cells.  
Anna still couldn't understand or believe everything that the feral man had said. Not done. She was still all over the place.  
Hopefulness and suspicion as also want and logic battling inside.

He had called her his _mate_. He had spoken how she was wrong to believe in her father's claims.  
He- He had _kneeled_ before her, like in the hospital.  
He had insisted that he didn't want her because of the manipulative mating bond but because he just wanted her, for who she was.

Anna let out a half-choked laugh, sniffling and smiling with a fluttering feeling struggling in her heart to stay alive.  
She wanted to believe in Victor's words and actions. She wanted to believe he actually-  
But the reasonable side of Anna was eager to crush the little naivety she had. That he maybe would be lying, or _something_ will go wrong _._  
And if not, Victor was still unpredictable person. Just as she was. They would be a mess together. Probably killing each other at some point, though he maybe wouldn't die and she at her current state...  
Plus, there was this whole trial going on. Where she either would be freed or prisoned.  
And she was, even if they said otherwise, a prisoner in the X-men's territory.

And Logan was mad at her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Anna felt completely, emotionally and physically, _exhausted._ Being confronted by Victor, then suspected by others, had pushed her into a corner. And there was no more room to run.  
She couldn't go into Logan's place anymore to rest and hide. Ororo had given Anna a new room, that they probably would be monitoring. And going out would probably mean the same: they would be watching her.  
Anna hated everything at the moment, feeling a headache that made her nauseous.  
She was in deep crap right now and the situation didn't seem like it would get better nor clearer anytime soon. She really wasn't sure what to do.

...Maybe she should just run away now. Just bolt out and keep going until she was all alone in wilderness.

Restroom's door opened.  
"Anna?" Logan's voice called.  
She wanted to scream in frustration.  
"...Yes?"  
"I wanna talk to you."  
 _Everyone_ wanted to talk to her. Ask was she fucking Sabretooth and would that mean she was an enemy now. And yet they didn't straight accuse her, but just beat around the bush. Watching her, judging and being suspicious.  
This was so much like in the village.  
"Just a minute", she finally answered, waited till Logan was out and then got out of the booth. Washing her face Anna prepared herself for what ever bullshit Logan was gonna give her next.  
If they saw her as a problem, why wouldn't they just throw her back into the cell? She had liked it there... But Victor was there now.

As Anna came out, Logan was waiting there, leaning against an opposite wall.  
"What is it Logan?" she couldn't pretend and keep the irritation away from her tone.  
"...Have you eaten?"  
She blinked, mind going blank for a second.  
"What?"  
"Have you eaten", he repeated and she slowly shook her head.  
"Then let's go to kitchen. Should be pretty empty now."  
With confusion Anna pulled her hoodie's hood up, before walking behind Logan. He seemed a bit tense, but not as mad as before. They went in silence, he greeting some passing people and she avoiding an eye contact.

The kitchen was actually empty. Taking some leftovers they settled down, Anna now realizing how hungry she was and started immediately eating without looking at Logan. When feeling him just staring however, she finally glanced with raised brow.  
"You look like crap", he commented.  
She snorted: "Why the fuck not? I feel like a suspect, defendant and convicted in a same packet."

"You can't say that you haven't been suspicious."  
Anna slammed her hands onto the table.  
"What did I do then? Huh? Tell me, Logan, how the hell I'm being suspicious?"  
"...You clearly aren't understanding the seriousness of this."  
She was, really. She just- She was tired.  
And though she understood the X-men's view, she believes she does, she can't control her emotions anymore! She knew that her feelings towards Victor were seen wrong by others, and she tries to act as was expected from her! Keeping her head low, not saying what she really thought and how she didn't give a crap!

...Just like in the village.  
She pretending to be a normal person while knowing that if she slips, everyone will turn against her.

She's again in that cottage, isn't she? Trapped and forced to play a role, or suffer for being something that was seen as wrong.  
The threat just always changed, was it a group of villagers, a team of righteous heroes or a legal system. But she's always stuck in the same, exhausting, daunting and deceiving role.  
Why does she keep up with this?

"Anna?"  
"What", she asks, looking at Logan while having this realization. She's so shocked by it, that she can't focused on what ever Logan is trying to talk with her.  
"-understand who Sabretooth is?"  
"...I do."  
And she believed she didn't give a fuck anymore. She just didn't have the energy. Yes, he's a bad person. Done awful things. He probably would be the death of her if she kept letting him near.  
But at least with Victor she could be actually truthful. Free, without the threat.

"Do you? Really?" Logan doubted and she blinked.  
Well, she maybe didn't know what his favorite color was, where he was born, how many skeletons he had in the closet and what are the real motives for him to pursuing her.  
But she knew Victor had lived long enough, seen and done many things, to know what he wanted and not caring for others' opinions. He was an outsider in modern society and so he was free.  
"I think so?"  
Logan sighed.  
"I don't know what it is between you two", he starts and Anna wants to answer that she isn't quiet sure either, but lets him continue.

She listens to him and nods, agrees to some and doesn't answer to some things he says. She just lets him talk as she eats. And after he has talked, Anna tries her best to seem like she understands Logan's worries.  
But she wants some own space and she wants to go to the new room, that has been given to her. With Logan she goes to his room, takes her stuff and moves them to the new room. It's smaller than Logan's but she doesn't mind. There's a rotating surveillance camera in the hallway, now and then filming the door of her room but she doesn't care.

After Logan finally leaves her alone, Anna waits for a long moment before leaving the room. In the hallway she glances at the camera while walking past it.  
She still wasn't sure about anything, nothing was clearer to her.

But the uppermost mood of hers was _just fuck it_ , as she kept moving downstairs, heading towards the lab.

* * *

Doctor Hank looked at Sabretooth who was casually laying on the cell's bed, eyes closed.  
But mister Creed wasn't asleep, doctor knew that and waited until the other one acknowledge his presence.  
Finally he was rewarded with unkind tone: "What do you want, doc?"  
Then Sabretooth grinned, adding in chipper tone: "If you want to ogle at a beast like in carnival, take a mirror. Your color would fit right in with the clowns."

Hank huffed, not impressed by the insult.  
Instead he looked down at his clipboard, moving and reading couple of papers. There were his notes, and then printed text. When he looked up again, he saw the other feral watching with one eye open. Then unconcernedly closing it.  
"If you are here to make some shitty kitchen psychology, don't bother."  
"Actually, I have some papers about feral mate bonding here", Hank revealed, observing. "Anna asked about it so much, that I got interested."  
He waited for mister Creed's reaction, but didn't get anything this time.  
The beast kept silent. Unmoving and sleep like.  
The doctor could have interpreted it as a negative respond, but consider how talkative and mocking mister Creed had been until now, Hank translated the silence as a clue.  
And with that thought, he was going to bait the other.  
However, Sabretooth suddenly went: "Did she ask about it with fear in her voice? Upset, that she maybe was linked to me now because of the bond?"

Hank frowned, hesitantly answering: "Yes..."  
The beast smiled in a cruel way, squirming a bit on the bed like enjoying of himself while saying: "Good."  
Then started telling: "She acted so stubbornly brave, that I feared I have _lost_ my touch with frails."  
The large man of a beast next got up.  
And though Sabretooth was behind locked door and impenetrable wall, the smaller feral -though not remarkably weaker- felt dread crawling up his spine. As he watched the wild feral approaching slowly, with attentive, gleaming eyes and those teeth exposed by curling lips.

"Though I bet she didn't tell _you_ , what all kinds of fun little things I did with her", was asked from Hank who was on alert.  
"Too proud to tell, I'm sure. I bet, that she _didn't_ tell you, how I kept her on all fours for hours. Just emptying into her again _and again,_ as she whimpered and cried with every thrust."

The beast settled to stand in front of him, looking down like a delighted demon who described horrible things in details.  
Of how he had forced Anna into cruel, painful and shameful acts against her will, making her into his living sextoy.

It quickly got too much for Hank who raised his hand, feeling like the meal he had enjoyed before was trying to climb back up. He felt absolutely disgusted.  
"You, _mister Creed_ , are indeed most foul minded being, whose mere appearance is oppressive in the most hateful way", Hank said as calmly as he could, yet not keeping spite out of his words as he glared up to the smirking _animal_.  
"Well thank you doc. It comes naturally."

"And you are also a loathsome liar", the bluehaired added. And this time it was _his_ turn to feel satisfaction, as Sabretooth's smug appearance stumbled.

"I have been talking with Anna, in sessions, to help her", he lifted his chin a bit. Looking directly at the eyes of the beast.  
"And though I can't tell what we have been talking about, I can assure you, _mister Creed_... That Anna would _not_ defend your dark and blotted character from accuses of you abusing her, if you had harmed her like you so _fervently_ just described."  
He would see nightmares of what Sabretooth had told about, Hank was sure. They would haunt his mind, like muck that you can never entirely scour off.

Though why the vile, vicious lies? Why lower Anna's strong character and raise his reputation as heartless bastard?  
Hadn't Sabretooth, the defiler and destroyer, the beast in a man's skin, kneeled before Anna? After motioning and rampaging when she had tried to leave the cells? The monitor had shown everything.  
Or hadn't Sabretooth answered Anna's animalistic call with his own, showing compassion and gentleness in front of the X-men?  
Even if it could be denied and covered with excuses, Hank believed what he saw. What his animalistic senses told him.  
But before the doctor could ask the right questions, Sabretooth sneered down at him.

"Guess I'm that good manipulating her frail mind, that she would defend her kidnapper and rapist to cover her misery."  
"Oh she would be _furious_ if hearing you speaking of her like this", Hank suddenly stated. "I believe that we both know, that she can't be manipulated to defend her attacker, unless she was planning to destroy them in secret."  
Hank saw it: a humorous, agreeing glint in the beast's eyes.  
But it seemed mister Creed wouldn't answer to any questions, especially truthfully, for whatever reason. So the blue colored feral turned and left without another word.  
And he didn't hear Sabretooth making any sounds either.

But he felt the beast's gaze on him and despite of it making his hair stand on end, the doctor kept calmly walking onward. Writing onto his notes with running thoughts and interpretations of everything concerning Anna, Victor and the mating bond. Still a part of him was cautious and shocked, but another part, that was getting a bit more foothold, was very much, deeply, curious.

Victor Creed was not a good person, not by a long shot. It was clear by his history, personality and what had just happened.  
But... But what would Charles say?  
If there was a small, tiny, chance of finding _some_ humanity in someone like Sabretooth, would the professor have taken the chance? Of course making first sure that the risks would be minimalised and there actually was a possibility. Would he have taken the risk with Anna's mental health, expose her to Sabretooth's presence and possible influence?  
Anna had a strong spirit, a will to survive through even the most desperate situations. And though she showed signs of lacking empathy and hints of having a darker mind towards morals and ethics... She still had compassion to those she deemed close to her and felt remorse for her doings. Knowing wrong and right...  
And yet she was frightened woman towards the dangers of the world, towards the possibilities of being abandoned, betrayed and hurt by everyone around her.

And that fear, rooted inside of her when she was just a child, could possibly poison the young woman's mind for good, turn her to something like... Sabretooth. Especially, if she would have now longer life, more time to nurse her bitterness.  
Sometimes you need poison to cure another poison.  
And doctor Hank wondered was he how ready to take the risk with these two unstable ferals who clearly had a connection.  
Of course, he would need to talk to Ororo. And others. It would be a very difficult discussion, as how Logan had reacted earlier when Anna had been at Sabretooth's cell.  
And of course they were, and should be, suspicious and cautious towards the beast! How could they let down their-

He was protecting her. From them.

The thought struck Hank so clearly and suddenly, that the doctor froze in the middle of his laboratory.  
Sabretooth was maybe one of the most hated and despised person on earth. Many was after his head, many wanted him caught for many unkind reasons.  
If they would know he maybe had a weakness to be exploited, have _Der Schlächter_ under their command- Of course, reportedly, Victor Creed would try to hide his weakness from his enemies. Or destroy it himself.

...Hank almost jumped when the doors leading upstairs suddenly opened and closed, Anna appearing into the lab.  
"Ah, Anna!" he started, then frowned when seeing her drained looks. "How are you feeling?"  
"Shitty, but thanks for asking. How about you, Logan didn't give you much trouble?"

The doctor stared, surprised by the woman's... Blunt attitude, her somewhat more honest face than usually, showing clear emotions of being tired, irritated and yet in a strange, relaxed tone.  
"Mm, no. He has a temper, nothing new to us."  
The woman nodded, slightly glancing towards the door leading to the cells. Then she sighed.

"Okay, let's be honest here", she took a step towards the door. "How many points will I loose if I go seeing Victor now? And just making it clear: I am **not** betraying anyone here nor taking any sides."

...Well, Hank was dumbfounded. Wondering what had happened in Ororo's office with Anna.  
Turning his gaze to the monitor that showed Sabretooth sitting on the cell's bed, the blue feral wondered.

It was also to be considered, did someone like Victor Creed _deserve_ a chance to be better. His crimes were inhuman. He seemed like he didn't care for anything, when it didn't offer anything back to him. Did Hank want to help the man? No, not actually. He despised the beast. Though wasn't he a doctor, swear to help people? In other hand, as Victor also loved to remind, Sabretooth was not a man.  
"Actually, Anna..."  
But Hank wanted to help her. And it would be... Staggering if her presence in Sabretooth's life could change him to better.

The doctor decided to make a little... Test.  
Nothing dangerous of course.

"Could I ask you to do something Anna?"

* * *

Claws extending and retreating Victor looked at them, hands resting on his knees. Wondering what would be Logan's next birthday present.  
It would be a late one as Sabretooth had missed it this year, for clear reasons.  
Oh stupid runt. This one would be special one, something really good, Victor thought with a dark smile. It was a mistake to take his mate, three times now.  
Did little brother think that having a mate was gonna soften Sabretooth up? Not when little brother was a dirty traitor and a thief. Someone's gotta straightened him up, so why not the big brother?  
Victor was going to give him a lesson, that would be carved into the runt's metal covered skull...

Hearing however someone coming, and then smelling faintly his mate, the feral man got up. Anxiously waiting while standing near the wall, smile creeping onto his face as he finally saw her approaching.  
And what she was carrying with her.  
"Well well bambi", he casually said while leaning against the glass wall, purring faintly. "Did you bring those just for me?"


	15. And you are mine

ATTENTION 20/11/2019 THIS STORY WAS REWRITTEN

Finally, finally did it! Back on the trails! Hopefully some of you are still interested in this story, and I deeply apologize for the long wait. Also I want to thank all of you who kept me notified that the story was still alive.

Hopefully you'll enjoy!

* * *

"Actually, Hank sent these for you."  
Victor put a hand to his chest.  
"Didn't know the blue one likes me so much. _I'm touched._ "  
But then again, these were the X-men. Always the good Samaritans even towards their baddest enemies.

"Aha, sure. But I agree with him that you need a bath", Anna said while putting down a bucket full of water and dropped rags into it.  
"And new cloths", she added, holding them up for him to see.  
"And food", a white plastic bag swayed on the crook of her arm.  
"A bucket and rags?" Victor glanced at the things critically. "I can't have a real shower?"  
"They won't let you out."  
"Pussies", he huffed.  
Still, this place, the cell and the things, were luxurious compared to other low, shitty places that Victor has been held in. Though what would the X-men do, if he needed to use the bathroom? The thought of defecating in this neat, white cell and leaving it to one of the X-men to clean up did please Sabretooth in a crooked way.

Leaning against the glass door with straight arm, with a small smile, he purred: " _You_ could let me out."  
"No", the feral woman crouched, figuring out how to open the low but wide hatch on the door's bottom. "They don't trust me anymore."  
"What did you do?" he questioned, also crouching, watching as she slide the hatch to the side, opening it. "Kicked someone?"  
"Yes, actually. Couple of people."  
He chuckled, not surprised at all, with that temper of hers. But why had she?  
Anna put the things down to the floor. Looked at them, then up to the surveillance camera.  
Victor also glanced at the damn thing. He had not noticed it before Hank's visit, occupied by what had happened with Anna, and after seeing it realized that the blueass had seen things.  
Shame eagerly turned into bloody anger, as he imagined how he would rip the dear doctor into neat little pieces like paper.  
Anna's voice brought him back to present.

"And I don't spit on your name and throw salt as if you were _the devil himself._ "  
"Just means I successfully converted you."  
She giggled while giving a smile to him, the humor showing in tired eyes. Though his smirk deepened, he whispered: "You being friendly with me will just deepen their suspicions, bambi."  
"Don't fucking care anymore", Anna sighed, sitting now down and dipped one of the rags into the bucket.  
"And after all, Hank sent me", she then offered the wet cloth through the hole.

Victor took it, letting the back of his fingers touch her palm. Small relief rippled through him from that missed contact. But he was frowning, thinking.  
If they suspected her, why would they let her come to see him? Why was she free? What were they trying?  
Looking from the rag to Anna, as her warm colored eyes looked from under the hood, the gaze he met was...  
They were observing him with sincerity, revealing what she was thinking. She rarely gave him that open, soft look of curiosity. Only when her defenses were down, either by effect of medicine or by heavy exhaustion.  
Victor wanted that she would look at him like that more often, normally. Without being worn out.  
He wanted her to accept him.  
"Have you slept?" he questioned, fidgeting the rag in his hand.  
"It's this fucking place", she muttered, rubbing side of her face. "Feels like can't breath freely without someone giving a look."

"They acting bad towards you?" he tried calmly ask, sitting down himself.  
Ripping away the negligible remains of his shirt, he started rubbing the filth off. The water turned dark, mix of blood and dirt, running down his bare arms, shoulders and chest.  
"They're suspicious of me, not saying it to my face but I can feel it", she muttered, pulling the hood more over her face, hissing next: " _Fucking hate it_."  
He huffed.  
He had struggled with that when much, much younger and cared for others' approval. He was a stupid boy.  
When the rag didn't seem to remove the soil anymore, Victor handed it back.  
And as their hands touched, it gave a small teasing sensation yet again.  
"How about my back?" he asked, lifting a playful smile and watched as she rinsed the cloth in the bucket. "Could use some help with that."  
"Sure, I'll just come in", she muttered, offering the cloth again.

This time, Victor took hold of Anna's wrist with one hand and moved the rag onto his left thigh with another.  
She didn't pull away.  
Not even when Victor moved his fingertips with claws against the skin of her palm, from wrist to each fingertip with slow strokes. Closely watching her, as she looked at his doings. Not seeing any disgust nor rejection from her. Not even wariness.  
She seemed more interested and fascinated by his claws.  
She seemed to relax by his touch and suddenly Victor felt this surge of overflowing, primal _pride_.  
 _He_ eased her troubled mind just by _his_ touch.

He was giving comfort to his mate and she accepted him to do that.

The feral's hand stopped, when the woman took one of his claws between her fingers.  
Though trying not to show it, the reaction was instinctive.  
The muscles under his skin tensed. Gaze sharpened into a glare. Mind going cautious, ready to pull away.  
Even if Anna had done this couple of times before at the hospital.  
Even though she really wouldn't be able to rip them off with bare hands.  
Even though he knew they would just grow back and the pain wasn't that bad in the end. Like in the memories.  
Still, he didn't like it when his claws were touched.  
Feeling the need to pull his hand away he however forced himself to let her touch. Not showing how much it made him uncomfortable, as she get through each claw, fondling them gingerly.  
Although he somewhat was amused and a bit confused by her. Anna's reaction was not the usual he received from others.

"...You sure like those claws, bambi. Fetish of yours?"  
He watched her shrugging.  
"I like your claws."  
It was kinda, maybe, obvious.  
However, hearing her to say it, with soft adoring and as she continued touching, made him feel a bit funny. Soothing the distrust which he didn't want to feel, as accepting it would mean he did fear. The pain, the memory, father, Anna.  
"They're strong and sharp, real claws and not just some cheap, plastic nail extension. Never understood why some women want those. Drops easily."  
He tried to focus on that thought, imagining her trying fake nails and maybe trying to scratch something with them.  
"...Hrm", Victor softly growled, scratching his cheek, feeling a bit giddy. The corners of his mouth not so high as usually, creating more of a soft smile.  
"One guy called them _bag lady's nails_."  
Sniggering they looked at each other.  
"I'm sure you showed him that these", she pinched one of the claws' tip with a smirk. "Ain't just for show."  
"He did get his head sliced off."  
"Mind telling me of that?"  
"Well", he pulled his hands back, continuing to clean himself.

And telling somewhat improvised story with some facts and with some lies, keeping out some major things like Stryker, enhanced Wade, the lab and the whole operation thing of him wanting to have the same treatment what baby brother had gotten through.  
Anna didn't need to know those, they were in the past. Only him knowing, Stryker and Wade dead and Jimmy not remembering.  
So Victor told a story to his mate, knowing she liked them bloody and him telling the gory details, and putting into some smugness to make her look at him with a bit of skepticism.

"-and as I tossed the head away, its eyes still open, it kept ripping the whole place down with its laser beams."  
"Sounds like a nice firework show. Without all the detonation."  
"Oh there was an explosion, remember? We were at the gas station."  
"The beams lightened the place up?"  
"Like a Christmas tree with explosive turkey." he described, enjoying fully of the way she looked at him. Not everyone can appreciate his amazing gory and bloody stories.

Taking a new, clean and wet rag the feral man got up and it didn't need much to get rid off of the remains of his pants. He tilted his head at Anna, standing fully naked there. He smirked.  
"Not shying away?"  
Despite of the light tint spreading across her face, her eyes darkening, Anna kept straight face in front of him.  
"Like I haven't seen you naked before", she answered casually, not wavering though he smelled the light scent of her arousal.  
He had missed that smell.

Purring deeply Victor started cleaning his lower body, holding most of his gaze on her, the two of them staring at each other with a slight challenge.  
"...Think they stopped spying on us now?"  
Anna nor he didn't glance at the surveillance camera.  
She just shrug her shoulders: "No-one has rushed to save my innocence yet."  
Something else then, to make her give up the stare contest.  
"What do you think they'll do to you?" she suddenly asked.  
He stopped cleaning for a moment, thinking while gaze staying on her.

"Most likely some government's organization specialized for mutant criminals. I'll be imprisoned by someone, maybe a private cell, a sleeping tube, rehabilitation to make me a private soldier, testing, or some other crap. X-men most likely don't care much, as long as I'm out of their territory."  
"You make it sound like everyone wants a piece of you."  
He let out a half-laugh.  
"When you live long enough, kill couple of important people and have the right kind of powers, you gain some popularity."

Victor then added, while cocking an eyebrow with lopsided smile: "And I **am** desirable, right bambi?"

* * *

Anna smiled, feeling gradually warmer as she stubbornly kept eyes on the feral man's smug face. Cocky bastard...  
Though the temptation to look the rest of him was growing almost to aching point.  
Bet this hadn't been in Hank's mind, when the doctor surprisingly had given Anna a task to bring Sabretooth some things.

However, Victor talked so relaxed about being captured, tested and schooled... When she thought about her time in the lab, that new kind of helplessness, she felt like her chest was slowly squeezed. Reminding her, that she could end into same situation again. Bound and trapped.  
If the X-men will know her secrets, then they may also hand her over to who ever was coming for Victor...

Stomping the anxiety down, determined, she focused her gaze and saw him staring at her, brows slightly shading his eyes.

Would he call her fears childish?

"I don't know what to think about my... Change", Anna said in low, dreary voice. "How do you handle a long life, Victor?"  
Narrowing eyes he crouched in front of her. His gaze wandering across her face, searching. Seeing her missing scars, most likely.

"It isn't bad", he finally said. "The best thing to do, is to let things go. Immortality gives liberty from many things. There are less things to be wary of, than when you could have died from anything. Now there are far more possibilities in front of you, if you aren't afraid of that freedom."  
"I am not afraid", she insisted defensively. Her eyes then saddened: "I just don't like the idea of eternity alone."  
He seemed surprised by her honesty.

But she had missed him, his somewhat wise, assertive and jesting nature. He rarely seemed lost and unsure.  
Except when he tried to talk her into being with him. Or so she thought, she wasn't sure.  
She however started to be tired of playing around, staying angry and defensive, keeping him at the distance as he kept pushing back.  
She had almost broken in at the hospital.  
And why not?  
He has come to her two- Three times now. First in the forest, then- No, no...  
Four times: in the forest, then at the car accident, then to the laboratory and now, in here.  
Victor had come to her aid for four times, did she need it or not, when nobody ever came to help her in that cabin.  
Of course Logan had searched for her when she had been in the hospital, and she was touched by it and appreciating him. But in the end, did Logan do it because of her or him? Because he felt guilt?  
Victor didn't need to come back to her.  
He could have just left her, he almost did. He had every reason to as she surely hadn't made anything easier to him.  
He had all the opportunities as she kept running but he kept coming back.

He maybe was cocky and bossy, and violent. And aggressive. And a bit of douchebag. And a horndog...  
Maybe he had an ill obsession of her, for some weird reason.  
...She could take it.  
She... She was attracted to Victor. Admired him and liked him.  
He had taken care of her, came when she needed help. And he can be nice. And funny, he had lots of good stories and he was smart.  
And he hadn't judged her way of killing and hunting other mutants in her territory. He had rather flattered her, showing interest to join.  
Maybe it was a trick, maybe he would get tired or things could turn to same like with mother and father...  
Anna however, she felt this weird, deep and something compelling that for some long time has been wrestling with her fears towards letting Victor in.  
Should she really take the risk? Worst scenario: she would suffer for the rest of the eternity. Having then new scars in mind strengthening her believes and fears that everything will hurt her in the end.

And yet where was she now? By living with her head down, pretending and hiding? Just in another miserable box where she felt like suffocating by distrust and fear.  
She... She maybe has enough. She **has enough** of this!  
And if breaking from it meant she would take a risk with murderess, manipulative and unstable Sabretooth that everyone eagerly painted him as...  
Anna hated unknown.  
But she also despised being shackled down by dread like a prey in a trap waiting for a predator in every awaken moment from every direction.  
She maybe was born as a prey, but she would live and maybe someday die as a raging beast that **others** would fear!  
And Anna felt that with Victor she could have the opportunity to grow into that kind of predator, for real.  
There would be no more hiding. Victor didn't hide from anyone and the whole planet seemed to be his playground.  
Can't deny it wasn't tempting, that what Victor was baiting her with.

So, when the tiger yet again offered to the deer: "You don't have to spent it alone."  
The deer looked into the beast's eyes, searching. And finally, when not seeing deceit in them, with agitation she answered: "Would... You think it would work?"

* * *

Victor was shocked, staring.

The sudden change in Anna's attitude, that what she was hinting of -because to him the question was pretty damn close to _yes_ \- was so surprising. All this time that he has been pursuing her, he maybe never actually believed he would get any approval from her in the end and now...  
The nasty side of Sabretooth arose, fangs bared and back crouched.  
Was this, her coming here and answering like that, some sort of trick? By the X-men? After all, the doctor had spoken of Anna in that idiotic, self-assured way...

Or was _she_ the one scheming? She had fooled him before. But those were usually more physical, short kind of traps where she had clear attempts of killing him.  
Playing mind tricks have never seemed to be her habit.  
Though wasn't she in a difficult situation at the moment? She was a suspect and what could be read from the news, she was on a loosing side. And she had said, that the X-men were not trusting her anymore.  
She was trapped.  
In the light of those, was Anna just using him as a way to escape? And did that matter then, as he would after all get what he wants?  
Though not entirely.  
He wanted _her_ to want _him_.  
He wanted all of her to him.

Victor was cautious, keeping his eagerness and hopefulness in check, as he answered to the female in even tone: "Only if you are **mine**."  
He was being honest. He wouldn't believe he would have the patience, if she would just bait him and then try to leave again when it was safer for her. He didn't like to be used. He didn't like of the feeling of having something, that he could loose at any moment.  
It was either _his_ or _no-one's_.

Anna, yet again, surprised him with her straight and bold attitude: "Then doesn't it mean, that you'll be **_mine_** too?"  
Again, Sabretooth was shocked, watching at the frowning, steadfast woman who smelled of nervousness but kept from backing off.

He was actually speechless, thinking about that.  
He hadn't really thought about it. Of him being hers, in a way that he wanted her to be his. Everything she was and had, his. And the same in other way.  
Sabretooth didn't like being owned, caged or bounded. He was independent, liking to be uncontrolled and unrestricted. He possessed, not the other way around.  
...How bad would it be, being someone's like Anna?  
Victor wondered that while looking at her. Sensing what Anna was feeling, as she didn't hide from him, waiting his respond.

Anna felt like running. She had also surprised herself with the sudden boldness, demanding equality at this... Strange relationship they had. She however didn't regret the question.  
If Victor wanted her to be his, it was just right that he also belonged- Anna's heart was almost bursting from the thought. Thinking that she would... Have someone, like she had pictured Sarah and Gary having each other.  
Victor would be hers, as much as she was his.  
...Is this what it's suppose to feel like? It was horrible. How could people stand this? So overwhelming, so warm and so intoxicating. Deluding her senses and mind as she tried to keep a clear head while waiting for Victor's answer.  
Why couldn't he make things easy, and just be an arrogant, infuriating and oppressive asshole?

Instead of that he just finally smiled, amused.  
And then the smile faded, as he in a low voice noted: "I suppose so."

Anna swallowed. Still and staring, breathing heavier and suddenly feeling own body being alien. Not in control of it.  
"So, a deal?"

She couldn't speak. Overwhelmed by emotions as she tried to keep herself still in front of the man, who seemed initially to have some piece of her in his grasp.  
A very tender, compliant and wanting piece.  
How had she not seen it before? Through all the fighting she have given, she had already been absolutely fucked up.  
A growing panic inside made her want to leave, but the thing kept bending her to its will. Not violently, not with forcefulness. If it would, she could handle it, she could fight it. Get angry and fight.  
But no. It was not vicious, it was worse than that, it was warm and caressing. Whispering. And she wasn't sure how to react to it.  
She didn't know how she should handle the sudden understanding, that she maybe was _in love_ with Victor.

"Anna?" Victor called.  
The woman's sudden stillness was worrying.  
A memory of the forest came to mind. Back then this had been funny, but at this situation, he didn't know how to react to it. First thing to pop in his head was to irritate her, poke until she gave a reaction.  
But as he was now unable to get to her, hold her, he hold his tongue. Not sure what to expecting from her when she was like this. Still and yet unstable. Able from self-harm to running away or snapping and fighting him.  
"Bambi?"  
She hummed shortly in answer, still staring and her hands turning into shaking fists against her knees.  
He thought for a second and then placed his hand into the open slot.

"Give me your hand."  
She didn't.  
Swallowing his starting frustration, Victor relaxed his throat. Letting out a sound, not a growl and not a purr but between them. Calm and gravid, rising from deep of his chest.  
She blinked. He did it again.  
She slowly placed her hand onto his, making the sound that only she makes. A short, high chirp.  
The larger hand closed its fingers with long claws around the smaller shaking hand. Making slow, circling motion with his thumb against her skin.  
He started purring, watching as Anna's tense appearance started to melt away.

And the longer they looked at each other, the more the connection between them became relaxed.  
As they recognized familiarity in each other.  
Becoming more aware of that there was something special. Even though they couldn't fully understand it and so were wary of it. Yet feeling this instinctive want to be together, defending and fighting, dominating and submitting.

Maybe it was the mating bond.  
Maybe it was having and sharing same experiences and opinions.  
Or both.  
Maybe it has always been there, before they even met or when they kept clashing, marking the other one as their own.  
Connection that offered deeper companionship, affection and acceptance than with anyone else.

But there was lingering doubts and wariness, as the other one still struggled with her own flaws and disorder just as he was.

Anna pressed her forehead against the glass, eyes closed, and so Victor did the same. Imagining to able to touch his mate freely.

"...You sure you want this?" she asked.  
"I always keep, what's mine. _You_ are **mine** ", he underlined, looking straight at her.  
She stared back at him, with reddened face.  
Then with a smirk said: "And _you_ are mine, _puss_."

Grinning with giddiness, Victor growled: "Sure, _bambi_. Deal?"  
"Deal."


End file.
